By Firstdespatch Desk Oct 17, 2023
Agartala, Oct 17 (FD) The High Court of Tripura on Tuesday took serious exception to an incident “religious persecution” by a group of Buddhist Chakmas against two Christian families in a village in the Unakoti district.
A single bench of the apex court in Tripura, presided over by justice Arindam Lodh was taken to surprise when he heard a fact that religious persecution is still in practice in 2023 and passed strict orders in connection with the case.
Advocate Samrat Kar Bhowmik narrated the story how the family was ostracized in West Adnancherra village of Unakoti district.
“Families of Purnamoy Chakma and Tarun Chakma were followers of Buddhism and were converted to Christianity out of choice in November 2022. Enraged at their act of embracing Christianity, the Buddhist community of the local area disliked it and socially boycotted them and also came on the way of earning their livelihood”, Bhowmick said.
“Purnamoy Chakma, a day wage laborer, was barred from working in the local households. All locals were directed by the community heads in accordance with their customary law not to hire Chakma for tilting and ploughing agricultural land of the area,” , the East Mojo reported quoting the advocate.
On the other hand, he said, Tarun Chakma, an auto-driver by profession, had been forced to take his three-wheeler off the road. “Public announcements in the local area directed locals to refrain from hiring his auto for travelling elsewhere. In both cases, those found violating the dictates had to pay hefty monetary penalties. They were also barred from attending social functions such as funerals and marriages,” Bhowmik pointed out.
The Advocate General Siddhartha Sankar Dey, assured full cooperation from the state g9overnment in this regard.
The next hearing of the case was fixed after the Durga Puja vacation. FD JK