Tripura Congress MLA urges former militants to avoid blockades, opt for peaceful protests

Tripura Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman on Saturday, September 5, urged surrendered former militants to avoid blocking railway tracks and national highways to press their demands, saying such protests disrupt the lives of ordinary people.

Reacting to the ongoing 72-hour rail and road blockade called by a forum of surrendered militants, Roy Barman suggested that protesters consider alternative forms of agitation, including an indefinite hunger strike.

He said there were specific procedures and conditions governing the surrender of former militants and that rehabilitation benefits should be provided on the basis of verified records, including the number of people who surrendered, weapons handed over and cases pending against them.

“If thousands of names are registered for rehabilitation benefits, there must be a clear and transparent basis for selecting genuine beneficiaries,” Roy Barman said.

The MLA said the legitimate demands of those who had genuinely abandoned militancy and returned to normal life should be considered by both the Centre and the state government.

At the same time, he said claims for rehabilitation funds based on fictitious names or without supporting records of surrender and weapon deposition should not be accepted.

Roy Barman also questioned the role of the administration in addressing the demands of the former militants. He alleged that despite the presence of the administration, effective intervention was not visible on the ground.

He said the failure of the Centre and state government to properly implement the demands of surrendered militants was contributing to repeated road blockades. However, he maintained that blocking railway tracks and national highways could not become an accepted form of protest.

Such blockades severely affect normal life, he said, pointing out that critically ill patients may be unable to travel while people with urgent work face difficulties.

Roy Barman said the District Magistrate and Superintendent of Police had held discussions with the protesters and there were expectations that the blockade would be withdrawn. However, the agitation continued.

“If you want to protest, go on an indefinite hunger strike. Take the hardship upon yourselves physically, but do not make ordinary people suffer,” Roy Barman said.

The 72-hour blockade, which entered its second day on Saturday, has affected railway and vehicular movement in parts of Tripura as the former militants press for their demands, including implementation of the rehabilitation and peace agreement.