Tension erupted in the Sadhupara area of Baramura hill ranges (Hatai Kotor ) of Teliamura on Tuesday morning after members of surrendered militants’ groups blocked the Assam-Agartala National Highway-8, pressing for the fulfillment of a seven-point charter of demands.
The road blockade disrupted vehicular movement on the busy national highway for some time. The agitation was eventually withdrawn following the intervention of Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma, acting on the direction of Chief Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha.
The protesters alleged that after surrendering, they were not properly informed about the government benefits, rehabilitation assistance and other facilities available to them. They claimed that despite raising the issue for a long time, no effective solution had been reached, prompting them to resort to the highway blockade.
Members of the surrendered former insurgent groups NLFT and ATTF had planned to begin the blockade at 6 AM on Tuesday over their seven-point demands. However, Minister Bikash Debbarma reached the spot after the blockade began and held several rounds of discussions with the protesters, led by their leader Kaulajoy Tripura.
The demands include review and withdrawal of eligible and pending criminal cases, issuance of identity cards and government documents, transparency in rehabilitation funds and government schemes, extension of rehabilitation benefits in accordance with government policies, assistance in obtaining important documents, financial assistance and rehabilitation benefits for eligible surrendered members, and identity cards and government benefits for families of deceased ATTF and NLFT members.
After prolonged discussions, the minister assured the protesters that the administration would hold a detailed meeting with them on August 21 next and take necessary steps regarding their demands. Following the assurance, the protesters withdrew the blockade.
Minister Bikash Debbarma said that permanent solutions to problems cannot be achieved through road blockades and that issues should instead be resolved through dialogue. He said the demands and problems of the surrendered members would be given serious consideration and that they would be informed in detail about the benefits and facilities available to them under government schemes.
The minister further alleged that successive governments over the past 35 years had not played the expected role in the development and welfare of the tribal population. He said the present government was continuously working for the socio-economic development of tribal communities and improvement of their standard of living.
Debbarma assured that the government would not step back from addressing the problems of tribal people or from taking measures for their overall development.
The protesters, however, warned that if their seven demands were not satisfactorily addressed during the August 21 meeting, they would launch a larger agitation.
All eyes are now on the August 21 meeting, where the fate of the seven-point charter of demands is expected to be discussed in detail.