Tripura: IPFT leaders meet Assam CM, demands Tipraland to protect Indigenous people

Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) the ruling alliance of BJP in Tripura has submitted a memorandum to Union Home Minister Amit Shah demanding five-point charters of demands including a demand of Tipraland, a separate state, in order to protect the identity of Indigenous people.

The IPFT leaders led by two MLAs Sindhu Chandra Jamatia and Prasanta Debbarma met Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and submitted the memorandum before him.

"Over the period of decades, the population of indigenous people of the State has become a minority in their own native land. Therefore, in order to protect the crisis of the identity of the Indigenous people of Tripura, full-fledged Statehood "TIPRALAND" based on the 6th Schedule Areas, TT.A.A.D.C of Tripura may be accorded on Top Most Priority", the memorandum reads.

The party has also demanded the report and recommendation of a High-Power Modality Committee which was constituted by MHA in 2018 on the core issue of Socio-Economic Development, Linguistic and Cultural aspects etc. of the indigenous people of Tripura State has been submitted to the Gol

"Request your kind personal intervention for submission of a report of the Modality Committee and recommendations thereon without any further delay," they demanded.

They have also demanded a special recruitment drive for filling up the Backlog and Current vacancies (around 20000 approx.) lying vacant for years together exclusively reserved for ST for creating employment opportunities for the unemployed ST youths (around 4 Lakh Approx.) and for proper representation in state government services may be carried out.

The tribal leaders have requested to change over the nomenclature of TTAADC to "Autonomous Territorial Council" and to increase the strength thereof keeping parity with other District Councils of the North Eastern Region and also demanded of inclusion of Kokborok in the 8TH schedule of the constitution.

"The government of Tripura have already recommended for inclusion of Kokborok in the 8th Schedule to the constitution and forwarded it to the government of India for further course of action. It is, therefore, requested to take initiative for the enactment of the same by the concerned Ministry without further delay. While about the issue of the Script of Kokborok is to be finalized by the State Govt. as per referendum of the General Public in favour of Roman Script as in the report of 3 consecutive "Bhasa Commission" constituted by the State Govt. and submitted their report in the past", the memorandum reads.

"We, therefore, request your kind personnel intervention in this matter so that the long outstanding dreams of the indigenous people of Tripura are fulfilled," the IPFT leaders said.