By Firstdespatch Desk Sep 30, 2023
Agartala, Sept 30 (FD) A dawn to dusk bandh called by the opposition TIPRA Motha in Tripura’s Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) for a constitutional solutions of the problems of indigenous people of the state had paralyzed inter-district movement of people and transportation.
The TTAADC is the home to the tribals, who form one third of the state’s 40 lakh population and constitutes the state's two third geographical areas spread over all the eight districts.
The bandh supporters blocked movements in nearly 80 locations of the state and national highways resulting in disruptions of movements of vehicles and trains including long distance trains.
Assistant Inspector General of Police, Jyotshiman Das Chowdhury said, “The bandh passed off peacefully and no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state and police also did not arrest any bandh supporter. Adequate security measures were taken as precautionary measures”.
Leader of the Opposition Animesh Debbarma, Chief Executive Member of the tribal council, Purna Chandra Jamatia and all other prominent leaders of the party participated in the bandh.
Royal Scion and founder of TIPRA Motha, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said, the bandh was not aimed against any community, but for constitutional solutions of the problems of the backward tribal people.
“Our demand is within the constitutional framework of the country. The bandh shows unity of the indigenous people of the state for their demands. The government of India should concede our demands”, he said.
The opposition CPI-M opposed the bandh on the plea that formation of a new state by carving out the tribal council areas is not the solution; rather they should organize movements for all-round developments of the tribal community.
The ruling BJP opposed the bandh, but didn’t force anyone from picketing and the state government also cancelled exams and asked people to join the offices but did not press anyone.
Media-in-charge of BJP Sunit Sarkar said people of the state spontaneously rejected the bandh. FD JK