Tripura against aliens, INPT for NRC

CORRESPONDENT

AGARTALA, June 9: Along with Assam, now Tripura is also concerned with the issue of foreigners residing in the State what with the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) urgently mulling a proposal on this vexed issue vis-à-vis the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The subject is on the party's prime agenda and the INPT appears to be raising a demand for the NRC in its two-day conference that has begun here this evening. In fact, the party would initiate a massive agitation across the State in support of this demand. The conference will also discuss the possibility of taking other political parties with them in this State-wide agitation.

It is significant that the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura is supporting the National Register of Citizens primarily as a means to identify the foreigners residing in the State.

It is learnt that a proposal in this regard has already been raised in the conference and the members are discussing it. According to sources most of the members of the central committee participating in the discussion have supported the demand.

Jagadish Debbarma, general secretary of the party earlier said that most of the central leaders had endorsed the demand, and most likely the proposal would be passed in the conference. He also said that apart from more power to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council the party is now attaching maximum importance to the NRC demand.

He also indicated that the party will initiate a massive agitation across the State in support of this demand. The conference also will discuss the possibility of taking other political parties with them in this agitation.

INPT is one of the two major tribal-based regional parties in Tripura and having an organizational base among the indigenous populace of the State. President of the party Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawak is presiding over the conference where other senior leaders like Amiya Debbarma, Sroto Ranjan Khisha also present.

Jagadish Debbarma lambasted the present BJP-IPFT Government and alleged that due to their failure a huge crisis is going on in the hilly areas of the State.