Tripura blockade: Protesters reject government's appeal

From A Correspondent

Agartala, July 14 :    Tripura government has made a fresh appeal to the leaders of the Indigenous Peoples’ Front of Tripura to withdraw the ongoing rail and road blocked movement that enters its fifth day on Friday. Reiterating its stand in opposing the demand for a separate state and the rail and road blocked movement as unjustified; the state government has urged the IPFT leaders to refrain themselves from the agitation that is causing grave problems to people.

President of IPFT rendra Chandra Debbarma, however, rejected the appeal.

He said: “A two-member delegation led by general secretary of the party Meber Kumar Jamatia has gone to Delhi to take up the matter with the central leaders. If there is a positive response from the centre we will withdraw the agitation immediately.” It is learnt that the IPFT leaders along with leaders of the Federation of New States, a conglomeration of organizations demanding separate state in different parts of the country, are trying to contact Union Minister State for Development of North Eastern Region Jitendra Singh for discussions. But they are yet to receive any appointment.   

Hundreds of tents are scattered in all along the hill and large number of people, mostly young boys and girls, are joining the protesters and shouting slogans. Several kitchens have been set up to prepare food for the agitators. They have erected tents on the road side. “A man was seen spreading DDT as the area is mosquito prone. Except idequate toilets we have no other problems,” one of the agitators said.