Even as leaders of the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) left for New Delhi to meet Central government representatives, ordinary supporters of the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) are readying for a longtime highway and railway blockade agitation to push for a separate state from within Tripura. They call it ‘Tipraland’ or land of tribal which the tribal party demands to preserve socio – cultural and economic identity of the indigenous population.
Since July 10 morning hundreds of tribal women and men, mostly youth, gathered on the Assam Agartala National Highway, in response to blockade call are prepared to stay for days even weeks in their makeshift arrangements to achieve a land of own. “We have lost Tripura to people who outnumbered us through spate of influx”, a young supporter told the Hindu at Khamtingbari, some 40kms east of here on Thursday.
“Tipraland is our legitimate demand within four walls of Indian constitution”, he asserted on adding reduction from majority to 33perdcent of population has been main sentimental issue of tribal people in Tripura. He said the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) is‘eyewash’ and a toothless institution to discharge their needs.
BJP which voiced a strong resolve to dislodge CPI(M) in February 2018 assembly elections tried to give solace to IPFT with assurance to create Tribal Autonomous State Council to give more power and autonomy to tribal. “The central government will convert the TTAADC into a state council through which tribal people can get more benefit in real terms”, party’s tribal wing leader Jishnu Debbarma told a news conference on Thursday.
State Congress President Birajit Sinha also interacted with newsmen to lambast BJP and the centre for allegedly provoking IPFT to paralyse normal life and traffic through highway and railway blockade agitation. Congress will take agitation path if the state government does not clear the blockades within 24hours, he warned.
Ruling CPI(M) continued to attack ‘nexus’ between IPFT and BJP- central government to create this situation. It is also dragging PMO for instigating the tribal party to create unrest in Tripura.
Amid accusation and counter charge IPFT supporters are unmoved and determined for a long political battle. Their polythene made sheds and do-it-yourself kitchens show their tenacity. EOM
