From Our Special Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Tripura parties representing indigenous groups of the state have returned to the agitation mode again with the Centre not responding to its prime demands of exemption of the state from the purview of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and creation of a separate state for indigenous people.
A delegation of representatives from tribal parties of Tripura had met the Union Home minister on December 12, 2019, on the two demands but despite assurance on further deliberations on the matter by the Centre, there has been no response so far, sources from the parties, said.
Miffed at the lack of response, the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally in the BJP-led government in Tripura, launched an indefinite sit-in-demonstration from Monday.
“Yes, we have launched the indefinite sit-in demonstration at Khumulwng, headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council from today since there has been no response from the Centre,” IPFT general secretary and Tripura tribal welfare minister, Mevar Kumar Jamatia told The Shillong Times on Monday.
Prior to meeting Shah, the IPFT had on December 9 last observed a 24-hour strike seeking Tripura’s exemption from CAA.
The Joint Movement Against Citizenship Amendment Bill (JMACAB), a forum of tribal political parties and social organisations, had also called for an indefinite strike in the state since December 9 but withdrew their agitation after meeting the Union home minister three days later.
“However since there has been no response from the Union home minister despite giving us an assurance of addressing our concerns, we have been compelled to take resort to a fresh round of agitation,” JMACAB convener, Anthony Debbarma, told The Shillong Times on Monday.
Debbarma said that the forum has lined up agitation against CAA on January 7 and 8.
“We will be staging a peace rally in Agartala on Tuesday followed by observing a black day on January 8, 2020 to protest the police action on anti-CAB protesters at Madhabbari in West Tripura a year back which had left six injured with bullet wounds,” Debbarma said.
According to CAA, Tripura autonomous district council areas would be exempted from the law along with the other autonomous councils of the North East.
Besides keeping Tripura out of the purview of the CAA, the IPFT has been demanding creation of a separate state for the tribals and inclusion of the tribal language Kokborok into the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.