Tripura: BJP's ally in state, IPFT to resume agitation against CAA

Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), BJP's ally in Tripura announced their decision to take part in an indefinite sit-in demonstration from January 6. Their demands are mainly to pressurise the Center to keep Tripura out of the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as well as ask for the creation of a separate state for the tribals. The sit-in-demonstration would be held at the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) at Khumulwng around 25 km from the capital, Agartala. 

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"Besides keeping the state out of the ambit of CAA and creation of a separate state for the indigenous tribals, we strongly want introduction of the NRC (National Register of Citizens) in Tripura to protect the demographic position of the tribals," said IPFT Assistant General Secretary and party spokesman Mangal Debbarma.

Awaiting Amit Shah's decision

A delegation of IPFT leaders led by party General Secretary Mangal Debbarma and Tribal Welfare Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia had recently met with the Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to discuss their demands. The leader stated that they are still awaiting the outcome of their meeting with the Union Home Minister however in the time being they have no other alternative but to agitate in support of their demands.

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Separate state for tribals

The IPFT has been agitating since 2009 for the creation of a separate state for the indigenous tribals by upgrading the TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of Tripura's 10,491 sq km area, home to over 12,16,000 people, mostly tribals. Other tribal parties, including the Joint Movement Against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (JMACAB), a group of many tribal parties, led by the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) and Tripura People's Front (TPF), who had called off their agitation against the CAA after a meeting with Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. 

(With Agency inputs)

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