Agartala (Tripura) [India], May 19 (ANI): Tipra Motha Party founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Sunday vehemently opposed the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas.
"Doors of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) areas are permanently closed for the people who would get citizenship under CAA," he said.
Tripura is preparing to implement the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) despite the Act not applying to the state's Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).
According to Debbarman, if people are given citizenship under the new Act, they should be settled in the general areas. The sixth scheduled area has a significant indigenous population and has special administrative autonomy.
In an audio press statement distributed by his party workers, Debbarman stated that his position on the Citizenship Amendment Act is firm and unchangeable.
"The warriors of Tipra Motha Party should keep an eye on the situation. No one should be allowed to settle down in the TTAADC areas among those who are accepted as Indian citizens as per the new law. The Government of India had already made a commitment that sixth schedule areas of which TTAADC is a part of would be exempted from the implementation of the CAA," he added.
His statement comes against the backdrop of the illegal Bangladeshi migrants' issue which will aggravate the problem after the implementation of the CAA. Earlier, Debbarman even moved the Supreme Court against the CAA.
"Tripura has already witnessed a large-scale influx of illegal immigrants," he pointed out.
Notably, Tipra Motha, the current ruling party, emerged from a movement against the CAA.
For those seeking Indian citizenship under the CAA, applications can be submitted online through the Citizenship Online website or via a mobile app.
The Act allows Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Christians, Parsis, and Buddhists from neighbouring countries (Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan) who entered India before December 31, 2014, to apply for citizenship after verification.
The Tipra Motha leader also urged the grassroots workers of his party to speak to people and bring their issues before the administration.
"Ever since we have signed an agreement, party workers seem to have become complacent. The people have elected us to ensure that the government hears their voice. Two people have become ministers from our party but that doesn't mean that the onus of speaking in public interest lies on their shoulders alone. I have received reports of multiple areas where water and electricity-related problems disrupted normal life. This is the right time to go there, speak to people, and take their issues before the administration," he told his workers.
After year-long hectic talks, and six days after signing of a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government, the Opposition and the tribal-based TMP decided to join the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura.
On March 2, the TMP signed a tripartite agreement with the Center and the Tripura government in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, and others.
According to the agreement, a joint working group or committee will be formed to work out and implement mutually agreed issues in a time-bound manner to ensure an "honourable" solution to tribals' demands.
In the 2023 Tripura Legislative Assembly elections, the Tipra Motha party became the second-largest party by winning 13 out of the 60 seats in its first Assembly poll battle in Tripura.
The Sixth Schedule gives tribal communities considerable autonomy; the States of Assam, Tripura, Meghalaya, and Mizoram are autonomous regions under the Sixth Schedule.
The District Council and the Regional Council under the Sixth Schedule have real power to make laws, possibility on the various legislative subjects, receiving grants-in-aid from the Consolidated Fund of India to meet the costs of schemes for development, health care, education, roads and regulatory powers to state control.
The mandate towards devolution, deconcentration and divestment determines the protection of their customs, better economic development and most importantly ethnic security. (ANI)
