Thousands attend anti-CAA rally in Tripura
AGARTALA | Jan 11:
About 20,000 gathered today at the CAA protest rally organised by Tripura Indigenous Peoples Regional Alliance (TIPRA),
a non political organisation recently formed by the Royal Scion of Tripura and former TPCC President Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma.
The meeting point of the rally was at Dasharam Para, the exact place where five anti-CAB protestors were injured in a police firing on January 8 last year.
Many top leaders of different Indigenous Party's and organisations came together at today's rally. Patal Kanya Jamatia (President of TPF), Brishwaketu Debbarma (IPFT MLA from Simna Constituency), Ranjit Debbarma, Biswajit Kalai (President TSF), Mintu Debbarma, Ananta Debbarma (Former Vice-President of IPFT) raised their voice against the newly passed law, CAA at today's rally.
Addressing the rally, Pradyot Kishore Maniya icalled for an united protest against CAA in one voice despite difference of political ideologies. He also thanked all the leaders from different parties and organisations who participated in the rally.
"I want to make one thing clear; this is not a political platform. Here are no BJP, Congress, IPFT, INPT CPI (M). Here are only TIPRASA. Today I am not here to give a speech; today I am here to speak out my mind. TIPRA ia a platform to unite people. Previously I used to say Poila Jati Ulo Party but from now on it will be Poila Jati Ulobo Jati."
Attacking his previous affiliated political party — the Congress Party, Debbarma said "I was in the Congress party and the party had asked me to withdraw my petition on NRC at the Supreme Court but I refused to do so and left the party. Today I want to say the same thing which I had told the BJP at my rally one year ago and that is — You people don't know Bubagra (King of Tripura)."
Debbarma also raised the issue of Bru refugees of Tripura "At Kanchanpur, our Bru people are suffering for the last 22 years. Today the Govt. of India wants to bring in people from Bangladesh but what about the empathy of the Bru people who are Indians and are suffering for the last 22 years. No political party has done anything for them. Our Bru people from here will get their rights in Tripura".
The royal scion also appealed to people to not fight with Bengalis as Bengalis of Tripura are not the enemies of the Indigenous people as it was not them who brought the CAA rather it is the Govt. of India "all for their pity vote bank politics.'
"This Bill is not brought in by the Bengalis of Tripura but it is being brought by the BJP because they want to win West Bengal and for that they have sacrificed Tripura. But we will fight at Supreme Court within our legal rights. They want CAA but they don't want NRC because they want to save their vote bank. But I want to appeal to all of you to not take out your anger on the Bengalis because they are in our support. They are not our enemies rather our enemies are our politicians who has sold us at Delhi", he added.
He further said "In the last 70 years these politicians has destroyed our community but I am still alive and I will go to the Supreme Court and fight for my people. I have lost so much fighting for you but I will keep fighting for you till my last breath".
He also explained the importance of a non political platform like TIPRA "In other parts of North East, organisations like Young Mizo Association fight for the people and the politicians have to listen to them. But here in Tripura we have to listen and abide by our politicians who have time and again sold us to their political masters in Delhi. But from now on the politicians have to listen to us".
Debbarma in today's rally also announced that soon he is going to tour each and every part of Tripura and unite people under common platform.
Another important development in today's rally was that IPFT Tipraha President, Nakshatra Debbarma left his party today and joined Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma.
