No govt response to our demands: IPFT

The Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) has been fighting for creation of a separate state for the tribal communities of the Northeastern state. (Source: Express photo by Abhisek Saha)

More than two months after it withdrew an 11-day road and railway blockade, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) — which has been fighting for creation of a separate state for the tribal communities of the Northeastern state — has accused the Centre of ignoring its representations despite several assurances.

“We had withdrawn the blockade on July 20 after the Governor assured us he would take up the issue with the central and state governments. The Union home secretary had assured the Governor that the Centre would give due consideration to our demands. But nothing has happened even after more than two months,” N C Debbarma, president of IPFT, told The Indian Express.

Asserting that IPFT would not rest till its demand for a separate Tipraland was fulfilled, Debbarma recalled that the Centre was dilly-dallying with its demand since the UPA’s second term in office. “We have submitted a series of memoranda to the Centre since the UPA-2. Though then home minister P Chidambaram did meet us once, there has been no response to our submissions from the NDA government in the past three years and more,” he said.

“…we have lost all faith in the state government,” he said.