AGARTALA, Nov 12 - The Indigenous People�s Front of Tripura (IPFT), an ally of the BJP-led coalition Government in the State, will send a large delegation to New Delhi to raise the party�s core issues, including the demand for Tipraland.
The IPFT�s decision to send a 500-member delegation to the national capital is being seen as a pressure tactic ahead of the election to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), slated early next year.
The party delegates will stage a sit-in demonstration over a five-point charter of demands, at Jantar Mantar on December 2 next, IPFT assistant general secretary Mangal Debbarma told reporters at the Agartala Press Club here today.
�The party supports revocation of Articles 370 and 35-A in Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladkah. Since the Central Government has agreed in principal to establish a separate territorial council in place of the TTAADC, there should not be any delay in the formation of Tipraland,� he said.
Apart from the demand for Tipraland, Debbarma said the party wants publication of the recommendations of the high-level committee constituted to look into the socio-economic and linguistic needs of the indigenous people at the earliest.
The Central Government had initiated a process to amend the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution in 2012 and the Union Cabinet has also approved of the proposal. �We want the Bill to be tabled in Parliament during the Winter Session,� Debbarma said. The Bill, aimed at giving more powers to the autonomous development councils constituted under the Sixth Schedule, is currently under consideration of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Home Affairs.
Meanwhile, the IPFT leader also stated his party�s stand on the Bru refugee problem. �The problem has not been resolved yet despite having a lot of agreements. If needed, the Bru people may be given an opportunity to settle in Tripura with a rehabilitation package from the Union Government,� he said.
Debbarma predicted there would be a change in the TTAADC after next year�s election because the Left-controlled tribal council has �miserably failed to meet the people�s expectations�.
