AGARTALA: Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) today accused the ruling CPI-M of resorting to terror tactics to derail the indefinite road and rail blockade called by the organization from July 10 next to press for the demand of a separate Twipraland.
Addressing the media, IPFT president N C Debbarma said the movement wasn’t against people of any community or section but the CPI-M and the Left Front government had been trying to create tension in communal line and police was acting according to the design hatched by the Left Front.
“This movement is being organised to press for a positive response from the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in holding a tripartite meeting and the movement would be withdrawn as soon as the response comes,” he said, adding that since the demand for a separate state was not illegal how could the left parties launch a communal campaign against IPFT with unfounded facts and concocted stories.
“The autonomous district council of Tripura could not deliver the expected result for development of the tribal communities rather it has been functioning as a department of the state government, which flouted the fundamental sprit of autonomy. The statehood movement has been going on for the past one and half decades but till date there is no positive response from the government compelling the IPFT to go for indefinite road and rail blockade,” Debbarma stated.
He pointed out after several political parties, including CPI-M, had expressed deep concern over the agitation and its possible implications, the IPFT leaders met the DGP and appealed for adequate security arrangement to ensure peaceful agitation as scheduled and requested the police to remain neutral.
He assured that vehicles of wedding, ambulance, central and state paramilitary forces, BSF, TSR and other emergency services would be kept out of the agitation purview and IPFT was committed to ensure peaceful movement for fulfillment of their demand.
However, CPI-M has strongly protested the proposed road and rail blockade call of the IPFT for an indefinite period from July 10 and termed it as a step of the deep rooted conspiracy against the Left Front government of Tripura. The CPI-M state secretary Bijan Dhar said that the PMO had suddenly called up the IPFT faction led by N C Debbarma and invited them to a discussion on their demand for a separate state on an urgent basis on May 17 and Minister of PMO Jitendra Singh had also met the team of IPFT. ‘We strongly believe team NC Debbarma was advised by the PMO to hold the irrational agitation in Tripura and PMO are actively involved in IPFT’s movement. The tribal party is being used to create unrest in the state and to destroy the peace and mutual brotherhood prevailing in Tripura’, Dhar alleged.
He also appealed to the leaders of IPFT to call off their indefinite blockade for the interest of the general people of the state. UNI