By Firstdespatch Desk Jul 31, 2023
Agartala, July 31 (FD) In a scathing attack on both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party, former Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Sarkar, accused them of betraying the tribal community in the state.
Speaking at a convention titled "Unite All Democratic Forces to Defend the Rights," jointly organized by the GMP, TYF, and TSU on July 29 at Agartala Town Hall, Sarkar passionately defended the Left Front government's legacy and praised its efforts in fighting for the rights and autonomy of tribal communities in Tripura.
Sarkar emphasized the Left Front government's initiatives in preserving tribal traditions, culture, and identity. He credited them for advocating the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, a crucial step in safeguarding the rights of forest-dwelling communities. Additionally, Sarkar highlighted the government's recognition of Kok-Borok as the state language, giving due importance to the linguistic heritage of the tribal population.
However, Sarkar expressed his concerns about the BJP-led government's policies, especially the proposed forest bill, which he claimed could transfer land control from tribal communities to powerful corporate interests, endangering the livelihood and culture of the tribals in Tripura.
Taking a swipe at the Congress party, Sarkar accused them of obstructing the formation of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and overlooking the promotion of the Kok-Borok language. He asserted that it was the Left Front government that recognized Kok-Borok as the state language, showing respect for the linguistic heritage of the tribal population.
Addressing the recently presented state budget, Sarkar expressed his discontent with the BJP-led coalition government, raising concerns over the escalating state debt. He claimed that the debt had doubled during the last five years without corresponding development in the state.
Furthermore, Sarkar criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi's handling of the Manipur issue, alleging his absence from parliamentary discussions on the matter.
The convention witnessed the presence of notable figures, including CPI-M State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury and former Chief Executive Member of ADC Radhacharan Debbarma. The event aimed to unite various democratic forces in Tripura, rallying support for the defense of tribal rights and interests. FD SB JK