After Pradyot, GMP to file SLP in SC against CAA
Agartala/UNI: While the Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the petition of Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, scion of the erstwhile royal family of Tripura, seeking exclusion of the state from the purview of Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), the tribal wing of opposition CPI (M) - Gana Mukti Parishad (GMP) will move another petition in the apex court against CAA amid tension in the state.
The GMP president and former Lok Sabha MP Jitendra Choudhury said that a special leave petition (SLP) will be filed in the Supreme Court on Dec 18 next against the CAA to protect the sanctity of the Constitution of India and stop Central government's attempt to spread religious hatred for BJP’s narrow political interests.
“Since the beginning, except the BJP and a few of its allies, all political parties have been opposing Citizenship Amendment Bill drafted by Modi government on the communal lines in 2016. They passed it in parliament last week despite severe protests in Assam and Tripura, in a most undemocratic manner. The agitation has spread to other parts of India, including West Bengal, Delhi, Maharashtra and Bihar, and also turned the close negihbours of India hostile,” Choudhury stated.
He claimed that the Act wouldn't have been opposed had it not been colmmunal. "Being a secular country, how a democratically elected government pass an amendment of Citizenship Act, specifying the religious beliefs and excluding the bigger states like Arunachal Pradesh from the ambit of the law?" Choudhury questioned.
He further mentioned that the Central government did not have clear cut logic laid out about exclusion of Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram and Nagaland from CAA and introduction of Inner Line Permit for Manipur overnight and including Tripura and Assam in the Act, adding that it indicates some hidden political motive of BJP.
“Arunachal Pradesh is eight times bigger in geography with one-third population of Tripura but the Central government kept the state out of the ambit of CAA. On the other hand, Tripura is already over-populated facing shortage of resources and habitation of multi-cultural and religious population. But the Centre targeted to bring in more chaos here, which we don’t support,” Choudhury mentioned.
Meanwhile, Tripura Joint Movement Against CAB (JMAC), which is at the forefront of CAA agitation, today announced to wait for the next decision of the Central government about further amendment of CAA, excluding Tripura in particular and northeast in general, said it’s convener Anthony Debbarma.
He said JMAC called off its indefinite strike on Dec 12 last and subsequently, after Union home ministry's request. The organisation met with home minister Amit Shah and explained the details about the ill affects of CAA in Tripura and how it would create demographic imbalance in the state and invite problems.
“On Nov 29 last, we had placed our view points along with others in the first consultation meeting with Shah. But the last meeting was exclusively for us and he had given patient hearing to all the points we raised. He assured us that soon he will take up an appropriate call on it and we are hopeful for a positive action – till then we shall be waiting,” he mentioned.
The JMAC leaders, however, demanded exemplary punishment to the perpetrators who killed Mantrilal Kaipeng (60) of Teliamura and demanded adequate financial assistance and a government job to the victim's family. They alleged, a group of people who supported CAB prevented the vehicle on the road which was carrying agitators to JMAC blockade spot in Baramura foothill and beat him to death.
Rubbishing the claim of police that Kaipeng died in road accident, Debbarma said the story had beeb made up to protect the criminals and added, “Police version or government statement cannot be considered as gospel truth because they often make convincing statements ignoring public interests. We want immediate action against the perpetrators.”
The JMAC also demanded due enquiry into the allegations of violence and large scale destruction of properities of common people in different parts and due compensation to the victims during the strike.
The organisation claimed that some vested interest groups perpetrated violence and triggered tension in parts of Dhalai and North Tripura to malign the anti-CAB movement, and the agitators had no role in the crimes.
However, the situation in Kanchanpur of North Tripura and Gandacherra in Dhalai continues to remain tense.
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