In the first of its kind, the BJP-led government of Tripura organised the Mizoram Foundation Day celebration at Vanghmun YMA Hall, Jampui Hill on 31 March 2023. Hundreds gathered in an overflow hall to celebrate the theme of the event, “One India, One Nation”.
Notable personalities gracing the event were Santana Chakma (State Minister of Commerce & Industries etc), Bikash Debbarma (Minister of Tribal Welfare etc), Rajib Bhattacharjee (Tripura State BJP president), Amit Rakshit (State BJP General Secretary), Tapas Majumdar, (State BJP Secretary and Convener of the event), Pabitra Debnath (BJP Unakoti District president), Ashutosh Dhar (Mandal president of Pecharthal), Lalthantluanga (Mini Mandal president of Jampui-Langkaih), Sajal Chakma (BAC Chairman Pecharthal), and BC Nunga (BAC Chairman Jampui Hill).
Leaders of Jampui Hill Mizo Convention and Youth Wing of Mizo Convention also attended the Mizoram Foundation Day event as distinguished guests. Leaders of the BJP party from neighbouring Mizoram state took the centre stage as stars of the celebration.
As one of the main speakers, Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau, General Secretary of Jampui Hill Mizo Convention congratulates the BJP-led parties for winning the recent Assembly Election and also congratulates the new government.
He expresses his satisfaction that Mizoram Foundation Day is being celebrated in Jampui Hill Tripura, which itself practically fulfils the theme “One India, One Nation” and points out that it’s a big step taken towards fulfilling national integration, that boundaries of states and UTs are just temporary and for administrative convenience only.
General Secretary of Jampui Hill Mizo Convention also makes his assessment of the Prime Minister’s HIRA (Highways, Infoways, Railways, Airways) concept in the context of Jampui Hill. On Highways, he expresses his gratitude that with the ongoing works, Jampui Hill is being crisscrossed from East to West, North to South by good road communication and Jampui Hill is soon going to be at the centre of the centre.
On Infoways – yes, we are making progress, but why not Tripura has an IIT established in Jampui Hill, only then the people’s aspirations will be fulfilled. On Railways – we are anticipating a time when a train station will be constructed in Kanchanpur town, followed by a toy train reaching Jampui Hill as a tourist attraction.
On Airways – again an airport in Kanchanpur town which will boost tourism in Jampui Hill, and we are grateful that the state government has already sent a proposal to the Central Civil Aviation Ministry to establish 6 Heliports in the state, Vanghmun Jampui Hill as one of the sites.
He also highlighted some important achievements made and gave acknowledgements. “We thank our government on the following achievements made specific to Jampui Hill and we appreciate our joint efforts in achieving them: highways; customary laws; prepaid digitalised electricity (the first and only one in Tripura which is a successful pilot project); ongoing tourism development and the newly proposed community-based eco-tourism project; establishing good relation and channel of communication, people to people contact with neighbouring Mizoram state through inter-state bus service and others.”
Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau also exposes the uniqueness of Jampui Hill such as its peaceful society and community and emphasizes that their strongest and most effective weapons are peace and non-violence, beautiful landscape and soul-healing atmosphere, great climate known as the abode of eternal spring, and is the cleanest place of Tripura that accomplished the PM’s vision of Swach Bharat, for which he thinks they deserve bonus developmental funds awarded to them in their current effort to becoming the cleanest place in India.
He also brings out their needs and demands including Constitutional safeguards of their traditional land and boundaries, their ecology and environment, their culture and traditions, developmental programmes and projects that are sustainable and have ‘community’ at the centre.
Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau also mentioned other demands like the Change of Lushai into Mizo in the state’s ST list, the Agri-horticulture link road encircling the whole of their traditional land area that will also function as a permanent boundary, the Creation of a new Hmawngchuan ADC Village by bifurcating Hmunpui ADC village, and creation of new Tharma ADC village by bifurcating Longai ADC village for equitable distribution of developmental and welfare resources.
Besides he also demanded a Degree College in Jampui Hill in the name of their former Chief Dokhuma Sailo (honoured with Raja Bahadur title by the Maharaja) by upgrading the oldest (Estd 1946) and the largest higher secondary school of the hill Jampui Class XII School, a Community Health Centre by upgrading Jampui PHC, the introduction of Mizo language subject in Tripura University, a proposal already sent as per the University’s directions, Mizo subject or Alternative English subject in place of Bengali in TET, starting from the upcoming TET exam in June 2023, Electric tower line from Kanchanpur to Jampui Hill.
In his concluding remarks, Dr Zairemthiama Pachuau expresses their optimism in the state having a highly qualified, intellectual and medico Chief Minister who has humanity at heart and is capable of making sound decisions even under high-pressure circumstances.