Agartala: The administration has made adequate arrangements to maintain peace during the indefinite sit-in demonstration of the ruling BJP’s ally in the government — Indigenous People’s Front of Twipra (IPFT) — in three different locations of the state, seeking exemption of Tripura from Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and creation of separate Tipraland for tribals, scheduled to start from Monday.
The movement called by the ruling alliance partner against CAA is significant ahead of the crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council election to be held after three months.
Besides IPFT, all other tribal-based parties including major opposition CPI(M) and Congress have also been opposing CAA and strengthening ADC with promises of provisioning direct funding from the centre, full administrative autonomy in letter and spirit and elevating the status of ADC like Bodo Territorial Council (BTC).
The IPFT leadership alleged that central government had assured to delegate more power to ADC including the approval of the amendment of Article 280 and Sixth Schedule of the constitution to empower ten ADCs of Tripura, Assam, Mizoram and Meghalaya last year but there was no significant development in real terms.
Moreover, the central government has passed CAA to shelter illegal migrants from neighbouring three countries, which would affect indigenous life and culture.
The party’s movement committee convener Shukla Charan Noatia told media that IPFT president and Revenue Minister NC Debbarma and general secretary and Tribal Welfare Minister Mevar Kr Jamatia would take part in the demonstration on Monday at Dukmali Hati in ADC headquarters Khumlung and also address the protestors.
Subsequently, the demonstration on a daily basis would continue in two more locations.
Volunteers from all 33 party wings would take part in the demonstration and it would be continued till the demands are heard and addressed, Noatia stated.
He feared CAA would further increase the number of infiltrators in Tripura, which would subsequently mount pressure on limited opportunities and resources of the state.
Besides, creation of full-fledged separate state of Tipraland in the Sixth Schedule areas of the state, exemption of the CAA in Tripura, introduction of NRC all over India would also add to the problem, he added.
“Apart from Sixth Schedule areas, Tripura has 3000 sq kilometres area of the state where the indigenous population is dominant. We can’t only think of the ADC, the entire state needs to be kept out of CAA purview,” Noatia said adding that IPFT wanted to ensure peaceful co-existence of people belonging to all communities but introduction of CAA would disturb it.
He further added that the tribal parties of Tripura have been demanding suitable amendments for more financial and administrative power for the betterment of the people living in ADC areas of the North East. (UNI)
