Tripura Pradesh Congress raised the issue of indigenous people of the State who had converted to Christianity and lashed out at the ruling BJP.
In this connection, Sudip Roy Barman, a Congress MLA who is also a Permanent invitee member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), strongly criticized the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday, accusing them of engaging in what he termed as ‘divisive politics’ within the state.
Addressing a press meet in Agartala on Tuesday, Roy Barman expressed disdain toward the ruling party-backed Janajati Suraksha Manch (JSM), highlighting JSM’s stance on individuals who have converted to Christianity. He denounced the JSM’s claims that those who embraced the Christian faith had forsaken tribal customs and advocated for a constitutional amendment to remove them from the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category.
“The assertions made by the JSM are blatantly unconstitutional, unlawful, and incendiary,” remarked the Congress MLA, emphasizing that the pressing issues in tribal areas such as education, access to clean water, electricity, and employment opportunities were being overshadowed by such unconstitutional demands supported by an organization affiliated with the ruling party.
Roy Barman expressed dismay at the lack of response from both the state government and the ruling party regarding this contentious issue. He voiced concern, saying, “The silence of the Chief Minister on a matter of immediate concern has the potential to disrupt the peace and harmony of the state.”
Furthermore, the Congress MLA urged the state government to investigate if permission had been granted for a planned rally on December 25 by JSM members advocating for the withdrawal of benefits for ST individuals who converted to Christianity. He vehemently opposed the idea of holding such a rally on a day widely celebrated not just by Christians but by people of all faiths, branding the demand as unconstitutional and illegal.
Representing the Congress party’s stance, Roy Barman outlined several demands for the state government, including the passing of the 125th amendment bill to facilitate direct funding for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), the implementation of Article 371 (K) in Tripura, and the adoption of the Roman script for the Kokborok language.
Asserting the legitimacy of these demands, he stressed that the Congress party had long been advocating for their implementation. He urged both the state government and the Central government to take decisive steps to ensure the development of the TTAADC.