Ex-militants of Tripura oppose CAA, meet guv

Agartala: A delegation of the Tripura United Indigenous People’s Council (TUIPC), an organisation of surrendered militants, met governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu on Saturday to oppose the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state and sought his intervention to fulfill the promises made by the govt during various peace accords signed over the last 40 years.
The delegation took exception to the govt’s efforts to implement the CAA in Tripura, arguing that it contradicts the terms of the ATTF Accord signed on August 23, 1993. “Our prime demand is not to implement CAA in Tripura,” TUIPC leader and TIPRA Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma said.
The TUIPC, a non-political front representing former members of different rebel outfits, highlighted their disappointment with the administrative inaction over the infiltration of Bangladeshi nationals through Tripura. It pointed out that the memorandum of settlement signed on May 4, 1988, between former PM Rajiv Gandhi and the representative of TNV, promised stringent measures to prevent infiltration from across the border. However, the CAA contradicts this agreement.
Emphasising that the implementation of the CAA would undermine the previous peace accords, the TUIPC stated, “The implementation of CAA 2019 is opposite to the accord which was signed earlier.” Besides, the TUIPC also sought the introduction of ILP, the establishment of a model village for reformed rebels, and a fresh housing scheme for former militants.