As the issue of alleged inclusion of 130 voters from the border village of Phuldungsei of Jampui Hill in the Mizoram’s electoral roll revision for upcoming Village Council (VC) election in the neighbouring state, is making rounds in print, electronic and social media, the residents of Jampui Hill, who are in the centre of the spotlight feel it is important that the Tribal Welfare Minister and the Revenue Minister, both must pay a visit to the Hill to verify things for themselves, and not be led away by some groups and biased (social) media reports.
This invitation and request was mentioned by Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau, General Secretary of Jampui Hill Mizo Convention in his press briefing today. He added, “It has been almost 3 years since the formation of the much anticipated BJP-IPFT government in Tripura. The sad part is that our Hon’ble Chief Minister, the Hon’ble Tribal Welfare Minister, and the Hon’ble Revenue Minister, none of them have visited us yet, despite the sensitivity of issues relating to our Hill and communities, be it the Mizoram Bru settlement, the interstate border, and the current electoral roll issues.”
“They must come and see for themselves the non-feasibility of settling the Mizoram Brus in and around Jampui Hill, the negative social, political, economic, ecological and environmental impacts it would have. They must come and see the beauty of our Hills, and appreciate the importance Jampui Hill has for Tripura and the need to demarcate a clear interstate boundary and hence preserve and protect it. They must come and ask each resident of the Hill if there ever was, is and will be a movement for Greater Mizoram, as was wrongly alleged by certain groups and biased media with vested interests. In fact, what we are demanding is an autonomous regional council within the state of Tripura.”
“Our appeal to one and all is, please do not drag the residents of Jampui Hill and the community organisations of the Hill, who have no role to play, into the chaos. It’s the responsibility of the governments of the two neighbouring states to sort out any problem that ever comes their ways.”
