July 21, 2018: While alliance partners – BJP and IPFT are fighting against each other at several places (latest one being at Lefunga in West District on Friday last) , the Gana Mukti Parishad (GMP) of CPIM has organized an ‘impressive’ rally in Agartala today highlighting ‘burning issues’ that the tribal communities in Tripura after BJP-IPFT government assumed power.
Addressing the rally, GMP president and CPIM MP Jitendra Choudhury criticized BJP-IPFT on a plethora of issues including raising MNREGA wages to Rs 340.
Choudhury alleged, “BJP-IPFT Government has failed to fulfill its pre-poll commitments. Terror unleashed by ruling alliance has jeopardized the normal life of tribal people. Moreover, democratic rights of people in the State are at stake under the present regime”.
Focusing about BJP-IPFT’s failures in meeting pre-poll promises, Choudhury said, BJP made promises to hike the MNREGA wages etc. He also pointed out that digitalization of PDS in tribal areas have affected the ration distribution among the tribal people.
Today’s rally was first of its kind after last Assembly polls in which CPIM suffered huge setback in Tribal areas losing in all but two seats. With demand for separate State and later alliance with BJP, IPFT gained strength hills ending long dominance of GMP. “Despite huge electoral setback, today’s massive rally by GMP assumes a lot of political significances, experts opined.
With BJP-IPFT in power for more than four months, tribal people seem to become disillusioned as condition of tribal people remained unchanged – or for that matter even allegedly deteriorated and there is no sign of creation of separate State for tribal people – even as two top IPFT leaders became Ministers in the BJP-IPFT Govt. “IPFT leaders’ failure to live up to the expectation – relating to separate state – has brewed disillusion among a section of tribal youths. Moreover, slash in MNREGA activities and temporary suspension of social pensions have cast adverse affect on already poor tribal people, claimed GMP sources.
After today’s rally, GMP leaders – Jitendra Choudhury, ADC Chief Executive Member Radha Charan Debbarma and other leaders submitted a six-point demand list to the DM of West District Dr Sandeep Mahatme.
Among the list of demands, immediate restoration of democratic rights and rule of terror, addressing scarcity of food and work in rural – particularly hill areas, raising MNREGA wages to Rs 340 and ensuring 100 man-days MNREGA works were important.
