Life affected severely in Tripura due to anti-CAB movement, tension scaled high

Train service to and from Agartala and vehicular movement on national highways and all major roads have been suspended for last three days. All exams of school, college and university has been postponed, most of the government offices outside the capital city and district headquarters and major markets were mostly closed.

The administration blocked mobile service and SMS service since yesterday for 48 hrs besides, promulgating 144 of CrPC in several locations of Dhalai and North Tripura districts but it could not prevent the violence and cease the tension rather escalated further.

A large number of air passengers travelling from Tripura from different parts of the state could not fly because they are not able to reach airport. All the major railway stations of the state including Agartala became overcrowded with the stranded passengers. Vegetable supplies to the markets of the capital city from neighbouring places have almost stopped that made the commoners life miserable.

Tension mounted up high in Khowai, Teliamura, Jirania and Bishramganj of West Tripura, different locations of Dhalai, Gomati and North Tripura districts following violence between the protestors and police. Several civilians were injured since morning when they moved to open their shops and join in the government duty.

The protesters blocked VIP Road of Agartala for about two hours during office hours and as a result, most of the government employees could not turn up.

“A section of tribal attacked the non-tribal yesterday in Kanchanpur of North Tripura that left a few hundred people to take shelter in police station and administrative offices. Police personnel were also attacked by the group, destroyed shops and markets and damaged police vehicles alleging them of supporting CAB to destroy the indigenous people of Tripura,” said a senior police officer here.

He also said that last night state administration had a meeting with the protesters to withdraw the strike and sit for discussion with the central government on CAB. But JMACAB leaders did not agree to withdraw the movement without specific assurance from the government and announced to continue the strike.

However, the administration warned them of severe action against the protesters to restore normalcy in public life and bringing peace, which further complicated the situation. The protesters became desperate and openly challenged the police and administration. As a result, situation went out of control in many places.

“We can die for protecting our motherland. We have sacrificed almost everything for the migrant people of Bangladesh and till the date somehow we managed to live. But BJP government hatched conspiracy against the indigenous people of Tripura to make the region a refugee ground and kill us slow poisoning – better to die in bullet in the battle ground,” said Kuheli Debbarma, a young protester here.

She argued BJP government is trying to break the integration of north-eastern states through CAB. Amit Shah without knowing the history and reality of the region announced to keep five states completely from CAB and brought Assam and Tripura under the purview of rehabilitation of non-tribal to strengthen their vote banks, which the indigenous people do not allow.

“The kings of Tripura had sheltered more than 10 lakh Bangladeshi immigrants since 1949 when rest of the country or government of India could not think of even. Today, density of population of Tripura is reached to most vulnerable state and even then central government want to push Bangladeshi to us keeping land and culture of bigger states intake – it a conspiracy against us,” she added.

Meanwhile, JMACAB convener Anthony Debbarma alleged that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had ignored the concern and reality of the situation of indigenous people of Tripura relating to the CAB, which he believed to be reason of violence during agitation and said, “We don’t support violence and communal instigation but it is the duty of the government to manage the situation – we only can help. But if government want to apply force to subjugate our voice the outcome will be dangerous.”

He criticised the statement of Shah saying that he was trying to fool the country people referring exclusion of autonomous district council (ADC) of Tripura from CAB. Because except land right, no other autonomy is given to ADC till the date and in the name of empowerment of ADC, the state government is misleading the country people, which he also termed as conspiracy against innocent tribal of the state.

On the other, royal scion Pradyot Bikram Kishore Debbarman who left congress party two months ago moved to the Supreme Court today challenging Citizenship Amendment Bill. He said the agreement signed by resent queen Maharani Kanchanprava Devi with the Indian government on Tripura's joining to India was violated in the implementation of CAB.

Tripura was ruled continuously by as many as 184 Tripuri Kings with sovereign and independent status prior to its merger with the Indian Union in 1949. On Aug 13, 1947, the Maharani Kanchanprava Devi signed the Instrument of Accession to join the Indian Union with certain terms and conditions.

Finally, on Sept 9, 1949, the Maharani signed the Merger Agreement with Indian Union, which became effective on Oct 15, 1949, and Tripura became a centrally administered Part C State (Chief Commissioner's Province) of India. His father Kirit Bikram Kishore was a minor at that time, and, so, the Maharani Kanchan Prava Devi presided over the Council of Regency formed to govern the state.

Pradyot said that till now no one in the royal family has challenged the instrument of accession in Tripura. But it is in no way acceptable that the lives of people belonging to the tribal sections of Tripura are in violation of the terms of the instrument of accession of India with Tripura. Therefore, he is going to the Supreme Court for the sake of maintaining the unity, solidarity and stability of the people of all parts of Tripura.