GUWAHATI: The tribal-based “Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura” (INPT) will soon move the Supreme Court demanding an exercise in line with the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Tripura to detect and deport the illegal immigrants.
“We will file a petition in the Supreme Court next month to demand something like NRC. Our situation is worse than that of Assam. The Northeast and all Indians know this. We will seek justice from the Supreme Court. We want the court to intervene and solve the issue of illegal immigration to protect the indigenous people,” INPT general secretary Jagadhish Debbarma told TNIE.
He said the INPT would also stage a sit-in demonstration in Delhi in November to press for the demand. He lamented that the Centre had not resolved the issue despite repeated pleas by the INPT and several various tribal groups. He said the illegal immigrants from Bangladesh captured everything in Tripura.
“We are outnumbered in every field, be it political or social. We want our political rights back. It is due to illegal immigration that we have been reduced to one third of Tripura’s population. We are living like foreigners on our own land. We have many problems and we want those to be resolved,” Debbarma insisted.
He slammed the Indigenous People’s Front of Twipra (IPFT) for its alleged silence on the issue of the tribals.
“Unlike in the past, the IPFT has suddenly become silent on the problems of the tribals. This is because it is hungry for power. The party doesn’t want to offend the BJP which heads the state’s ruling coalition. People have come to know its character,” Debbarma said.
He also slammed Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for his recent claim that there is no illegal immigrant in Tripura.
“What is the basis of his (CM’s) claim that there is no illegal immigrant in Tripura? Did her ever review it or check the documents of people in the state?” Debbarma asked. He said the INPT would continue to run a campaign demanding NRC.
“We also demand that the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016 is not passed by the Central government and that more Constitutional power is granted to Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. We demand the introduction of inner-line permit in these areas and the inclusion of Kokborok language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution,” he added.