AGARTALA:
Families, who are victims of the long insurgency in Tripura, on July 29, threatened to launch an indefinite protest if the government does not fulfil their demands to be recognised as “internally displaced” people.
Submitting a memorandum before the West District Magistrate, Debapriya Bardhan, the families, under the banner of West Tripura and Sepahijala District Displaced Coordination Committee (SDDCC), also demanded the government help them by providing a proper rehabilitation package.
“Our demands are simple. The government must recognize us as internally displaced. All the families should get one-time financial assistance of Rs 5 lakh and proper rehabilitation. If our demands are not met, we will launch indefinite protests across the state,” president of the committee Sajal Poddar said.
“During the insurgency period we lost many of our close people. Those who killed people mercilessly have received help from the government after they laid down their arms. Most of them are now well settled and are getting financial assistance from the government while we the victims, who have lost our loved ones and have had to leave our homes, have been left in the lurch,” he informed.
Poddar also expressed his displeasure at the response of the state government, saying it has not responded positively and altogether neglected their demands which they have been making for the last 22 years.
According to him, 6,500 families had to leave their houses and properties behind in tribal-dominated areas and take shelter in different parts of Sepahijala and West Tripura district, and they had to make housing and livelihood arrangements on their own.