AT Photo
Agartala, Sept 30: The 12-hour dawn-to-dusk strike called by Tripura's principal opposition party, TIPRA Motha, has brought the inter-district traffic movement in the state to a grinding halt, with national highways and railway routes being blocked since the morning.
However, no major incident has been reported so far. Picketers have gathered at 33 locations across the state to press for their demand for a constitutional solution for the 13 lakh tribal people of Tripura.
Senior leaders of the party, including leader of the opposition Animesh Debbarma, Chief Executive Member of TTAADC Purna Chandra Jamatia, MLA Swapna Debbarma, Executive Member Kamal Kaloi and other leaders joined the protestors at their home constituencies.
Chief Executive Member of TTAADC Purna Chandra Jamatia, while interacting with the media, claimed that this strike is a symbolic protest to convey a strong message to the government of India. "This Bandh is a symbol of unity and collective effort for our demand. Through our Maharaja, the message will be conveyed to the Government of India", he said.
Leader of the opposition Animesh Debbarma who joined the protests at Khowai National Highway, also echoed the same.
Senior party legislator Swapna Debbarma said that if new states could be carved out in other parts of India, why was their demand being seen as unjust?
"Articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution permit the formation of new states. After independence, many new states came into being. So, our demand for a separate state, Greater Tipraland is very much within the purview of the constitution. The spontaneous support of people towards this bandh proves that the common Tiprasa want a separate state", said Debbarma.