Tripura bandh postponed to October 23 to avoid Diwali disruption

Tripura’s statewide bandh, initially planned for October 13, has been rescheduled to October 23 for 24 hours, Tipra Motha Party MLA Ranjit Debbarma announced on October 10. The change comes in consideration of the upcoming Diwali festival.

Debbarma told reporters that numerous residents across Tripura requested the delay to prevent disruption during the festive period. “Respecting public sentiment, the Tripura Civil Society and other stakeholders have decided to move the bandh,” he said.

The strike, originally called for eight key demands, will now go ahead later this month. Emergency and essential services—including ambulances, fire services, police, judiciary, and utility vehicles—will continue to operate uninterrupted.

Debbarma highlighted that the bandh is intended to push the government for urgent administrative action. Key demands include identifying illegal foreign migrants as per Ministry of Home Affairs guidelines, setting up detention camps in every district, forming a Special Task Force with BSF and Assam Rifles personnel, implementing the Inner Line Permit system, enforcing the Tri-Partite Tiprasa Accord, recognising the Roman script for Kokborok, and cancelling fraudulent SC/ST certificates. The demands also reference the implementation of the Tri-Partite Agreement signed with ATTF-NLFT in September 2024.

The MLA urged citizens to participate peacefully and assured that daily necessities and essential services would not be affected during the 24-hour strike.