The ruling BJP’s coalition partner of Indigenous Peoples Front Tripura (IPFT) on Wednesday announced its decision to undertake a 24-hour general strike in Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) on October 15.
The major demand of the party is the establishment of Tipraland — a separate State for the indigenous population.
IPFT assistant general secretary Mangal Debbarma said that the party’s highest decision-making body endorsed the strike to highlight the demands to safeguard minority tribals. He also said a party delegation, comprising a Minister, a few MLAs and senior leaders, would visit New Delhi this month to take up the demands with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and top BJP functionaries.
Though the party focuses on Tipraland, it is also demanding empowerment of the TTAADC through constitutional amendment. October 15 marks the anniversary of the erstwhile princely state’s merger with the Indian union in 1949.
This is the second strike call of the IPFT during the pandemic. A strike was undertaken on July 9.
The TTAADC came into existence in January 1982 after the conclusion of the first elections to the council.
The elections to the 28-member TTAADC were due in May, but was postponed due to the pandemic. A new schedule is expected to be announced soon.
