BJP ally IPFT renews separate state demand

AGARTALA: The Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the ruling BJP, has renewed its old demand for a separate Tipraland state for tribals to protect and safeguard their socio-economic and political interests.nnThe IPFT placed the demand to a high power committee set up by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the socio-economic, cultural and linguistic problems faced by Tripura’s tribal communities.nn”… the High Level Committee should make serious attempts to find out the reasons behind the demand for the separate state of ‘Tipraland’ and address the related issues accordingly,” the IPFT memorandum submitted Friday night to the MHA committee said.nnThe tribal party had long been demanding a separate state, ‘Tipraland’, by carving out areas under the jurisdiction of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) which covers two-third of the state’s area.nnThe IPFT formed a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) before the February assembly election in which the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Front government was ousted.nnThe saffron party had then claimed that the IPFT would not raise the demand for a separate state.nnThe ruling BJP remained silent on the statehood issue but demanded before the Committee that the TTAADC be turned into an autonomous state council which would be granted more power and direct funding from the Centre.nnBJP Scheduled Tribe Morcha president Rampada Jamatia said the party placed a set of suggestions before the panel for overall development of the tribal communities and demanded a Tripura Regiment in the state armed force for more employment opportunities for tribal youths.nnThe party also suggested adopting Devanagari script for Kokborok language and appealed for its inclusion in CBSE and ICSE curriculum.nnThe Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) led by its president Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl met the delegation and sought Inner Line Permit and revision of Nation Register of Citizens (NRC) in Tripura to safeguard the identity and interests of the indigenous people.nnThe CPI(M) submitted a memorandum to the Committee with 7-point demands including all-round development of the state instead of only in tribal council areas.nnThe party’s state secretary Bijan Dhar opposed the BJP’s demand for direct funding from central government to the TTAADC saying it would only encourage separatism in the state.nnThe BJP’s demand for using Devnagari script for Kokborok language also met with opposition from a section of tribal intellectuals.nnTribal youth activist David Debbarma said Kokborok should be introduced in school curriculum with Roman script and not Devanagari.nnState Congress vice-president Tapas Dey said his party would send its demands to the Home Ministry soon.nnSource: Press Trust of India