Tag: Tripura

‘Border Haats’ in Tripura along India-Bangladesh border to reopen after 3 yrs

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Agartala: After three years of closure, one of the two ‘Border Haats’ (markets) in Tripura along India-Bangladesh border will resume trading from May 9, officials said on Wednesday.
A top official of the Tripura Industries and Commerce Department said that after a recent meeting between the district officials of Feni (Bangladesh) and South Tripura, it was decided to resume the business of the Purba Madhugram (Bangladesh)-Srinagar (South Tripura) ‘Border Haats’ from May 9.
“Efforts were on to restart the Kasba (Bangladesh)-Kamlasagar (Tripura) Border Haat in Sepahijala district,” the official told IANS.

The four Border Haats, two each in Tripura and Meghalaya, have remained closed since March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns, causing immense loss to the people living in the bordering villages.
Both the Tripura and Meghalaya governments have been pressing the Centre to take up the matter with the Bangladesh government to resume the Border Haats.
The two Border Haats in Meghalaya — at Balat (East Khasi Hills district) and Kalaichar (South West Garo Hills district) — were reopened last year and both are functional once a week now.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel, recently in a letter to former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, currently a Rajya Sabha member, said that the Central government has raised the issue of reopening the two ‘Border Haats’ in Tripura to promote local business and livelihood of the people living on either side of the frontiers with its Bangladesh counterpart.
“We are continuously raising the matter of the reopening of Border Haats at Kamalasagar and Srinagar in the bilateral meetings with Bangladesh. We are hopeful of an early resolution of this matter,” Patel had said in her letter to Deb.

Officials of the Tripura Industries and Commerce Department said that the officials in Sepahijala and South Tripura district administrations had on a number of occasions approached their Bangladesh counterparts to reopen the Border Haats as the Covid-19 induced situation has almost been tamed now.
Jaipur-based think-tank CUTS International, which has done several studies on border trade, had also recommended to the Indian government to resume these border markets the necessary precautions against Covid-19, as these markets boost the economy, cement ties between the people of the two countries and also check illegal trade.
These markets, spread in around 5,625 sq. metre area of the two countries’ territories or “no-man’s land”, operate once a week on a fixed day.
In the weekly market, on an average, at least 25 vendors, including women from both sides of the border, sell their products.
According to the officials, 10 more “Border Haats” were approved along the India-Bangladesh border at Tripura and Meghalaya. Out of them, six are in Meghalaya, and four in Tripura.
Both Indian and Bangladeshi governments are keen to reopen more “Border Haats” in the four northeastern states — Tripura, Meghalaya, Assam and Mizoram, which share 1,880-km border with Bangladesh.
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#Border #Haats #Tripura #IndiaBangladesh #border #reopen #yrs
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

May 3, 2023
Tripura: BJP leaders thrash Hindu vlogger for posting Eid greeting

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A 23-year-old vlogger Bapan Nandi in Tripura was assaulted by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders for posting Eid greeting in a video.
Nandi said he was trying to promote communal harmony.
As the video went viral, BJP leader Anu Mura Singh and a few Hindutva politicians were irked with Nandi’s four-minute video.

NewsClick reported that the BJP leaders allegedly took the matter to the Police Line Bazaar area and filed a complaint against the vlogger. Following this, the police called Nandi for interrogation.
Meanwhile, Mura Singh and a few Hindutva leaders attacked Nandi. One of them recorded the assault and posted it on social media.
Subsequently, the video went viral.
In the video, a female BJP leader can be seen grabbing Nandi by his collar and thrashing him. She was also questioning why Nandi had portrayed himself “as a Muslim and demeaned Hindus.”
He should have stuck with his “Hindu origins proudly,” she added.

Nandi could be seen begging for mercy while he was being thrashed by the group, according to NewsClick.
“The Deputy Chief of East Gokul Nagar Panchayat called me and asked if I can visit his place. As I knew him I reached there and found about 40 men were waiting for me,” EastMojo quoted Nandi.
“The Panchayat leader slapped me and thrashed me in front of everyone. I kept asking what was my fault? Nandi informed him that the video was produced by another channel and the casting was done by him.
“No one was interested in listening to me,” he added.
It is reported that the police have registered the case on orders of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) leaders.
Nandi claimed that he made the video for communal harmony. The video asked people not to get divided into communal lines and to celebrate the festival of Eid in harmony.
Two artists who acted in the Eid video, Uma Debnath and Sneha Bhowmik issued statements saying they never thought that the video will be so problematic or that it would any ruckus.
The artists and several other people have condemned the beating of Nandi and extended support to him.
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#Tripura #BJP #leaders #thrash #Hindu #vlogger #posting #Eid #greeting
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 27, 2023
CPI(M) delegation meets Tripura CM over post-poll violence

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Agartala: A six-member delegation of CPI(M) on Monday met Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha over post-poll violence in the state and claimed that more than 2,000 incidents of attacks on opposition party activists were reported since March 2, the day assembly results were declared.
Senior CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar said the chief minister assured the team of taking appropriate steps to stop such violence.
“We have seen widespread violence from the day of counting. At least 2,016 attacks, including assaults, arson, ransacking and burning of rubber plantations, were reported in our state,” Sarkar told reporters here after the meeting with the CM at his residence.

One CPI(M) worker, who was attacked on the day of counting in Khowai district, breathed his last at GBP hospital here, while four more died of shock following such violence, the former chief minister said.
“Today, our delegation met the chief minister and submitted a representation, mentioning the violence on CPI(M) leaders, workers and supporters. He assured us of taking appropriate steps to stop such attacks,” he said.
Sarkar claimed that the “BJP seems very disappointed over its declining vote share” in the recently concluded assembly elections in the northeastern state.
“The BJP thought that the entire opposition would be wiped out in the state but the results showed a steady decline in its support base with vote share reducing from 51 per cent to 39 per cent. More so, the seat tally has reduced by 11 as compared to the 2018 assembly elections,” he said.
The BJP secured 32 seats and its ally Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura got one in the last elections to the 60-member assembly, while the CPI(M)-Congress combine bagged 14 and the Tipra Motha Party managed 13.

The veteran Left leader also claimed that the “BJP’s support base is eroding” in the north-east region as the party got around 40-odd seats together in the recent elections to Tripura, Meghalaya and Nagaland.
“That is why the BJP is indulging in violence,” he added.
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#CPIM #delegation #meets #Tripura #postpoll #violence
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 10, 2023
India pursuing Bangladesh to reopen ‘Border Haats’ in Tripura

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Agartala: The Indian government has raised the issue of reopening the two ‘Border Haats’ (markets) in Tripura to promote local business and livelihood of the people living on either side of the frontiers with its Bangladesh counterpart.
Union Minister of State for Commerce and Industry, Anupriya Patel, said in a letter to former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb that the functioning of the Border Haats at Kamlasagar in Sepahijala district and Srinagar in South Tripura district were suspended due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
“We are continuously raising the matter of reopening of Border Haats at Kamlasagar and Srinagar in the bilateral meetings with Bangladesh. We are hopeful of an early resolution of this matter,” Patel said in her letter to Deb, currently a BJP Rajya Sabha member.

Deb, who resigned from the Chief Minister’s post in May last year, had urrged the Centre during a Special Mention in the Rajya Sabha in December 2022 to reopen the Border Haats along Tripura’s border with Bangladesh.
The four Border Haats, two each in Tripura and Meghalaya, have remained closed since March 2020 after the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdowns, causing immense loss to the people living in the bordering villages.
The two Border Haats in Meghalaya — at Balat (East Khasi Hills district) and Kalaichar (South West Garo Hills district) — were reopened last year and both are functional once in a week now.
Officials of the Tripura Industries and Commerce Department said that the officials in Sepahijala and South Tripura district administrations had on a number of occasions approached their Bangladesh counterparts to reopen the Border Haats as the Covid-19 induced situation has almost been tamed now.
“Bangladesh officials said that the concerned ministries in Dhaka are yet to allow reopening of the markets,” an official of the department told IANS.

Jaipur-based think-tank CUTS International, which has done several studies on border trade, had also recommended to the Indian government to resume these border markets maintaining necessary precautions against Covid-19, as these markets boost the economy, cement ties between the people of the two countries and also check illegal trade.
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#India #pursuing #Bangladesh #reopen #Border #Haats #Tripura
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

April 7, 2023
Video: BJP MLA watches x-rated clip during Tripura Assembly session

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Agartala: In a shameful incident, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Bagbasa constituency, Jadab Lal Debnath, was allegedly caught watching porn during the Tripura Assembly session. This incident has once again raised concerns about the conduct of lawmakers and their sense of responsibility towards the public.
This is not the first time that such an incident has come to light. In 2012, under the BJP government in Karnataka, two ministers were caught on camera allegedly watching a porn clip on a mobile phone in the state Assembly while proceedings were on.
Such incidents not only bring disrepute to lawmakers but also raise questions about their ability to fulfill their duties and responsibilities towards the public.
The recent incident in Tripura has once again highlighted the issue of lawmakers being distracted from their duties and indulging in activities that are not only inappropriate but also disrespectful to the sanctity of the Assembly.
Opposition leader demand action against MLA
Criticising the BJP MLA, opposition leader Animesh Debbarma said that all the legislators are responsible persons and their acts should not create a bad precedent for the others, especially the young generations. Debbarma demanded appropriate action against the legislator.
The CPI(M) and Congress also criticised Nath and demanded severe action against him
“Operation of mobile phones inside the Assembly is restricted. We should all concentrate on the proceedings and business of the House.. Despite this, Nath watched the porn video damaging the reputations of the House,” said Birajit Sinha, state Congress chief and one of the three party MLAs.
He said that if the BJP has minimum morality, it must take action against Nath.

Reacting to the viral video, BJP Tripura state President Rajib Bhattacharya told IANS that the party would soon issue a notice to him and seek clarification.
X-rated clip played at Patna railway station
In addition to lawmakers, other incidents of inappropriate content being displayed in public spaces have also been reported in recent times. In a recent incident at the Patna railway station, hundreds of passengers waiting to board trains were faced with an awkward situation when an x-rated clip played at all the TV screens installed across the 10 platforms for three minutes.
The contract for telecasting videos and films on the railway stations of the Danapur division is given to a private company. Railway Protection Force (RPF) officials immediately contacted them and stopped the telecast.
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#Video #BJP #MLA #watches #xrated #clip #Tripura #Assembly #session
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 30, 2023
Bangladesh Independence Day celebrated in Assam, Tripura

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Guwahati: The Bangladeshi Independence Day celebrated in Assam and Tripura on Sunday with numerous functions and events in the two Indian states that share border with the neighbouring country.
Bangladesh’s Assistant High Commissions in Guwahati and Agartala organised a series of programmes to observe the day.
Artistes, including renowned singers from both Bangladesh and India, performed in the functions.
Discussions were held highlighting the significance of Bangladesh Independence Day and National Day.
Bangladesh celebrates its Independence Day on March 26 — which is also a national holiday.
The day commemorates Bangladesh’s declaration of Independence from Pakistan in the early hours of March 25, 1971.
On the occasion, troops of the Border Security Force exchanged sweets and greetings with Border Guards Bangladesh in the border outposts along the border between the two neighbouring countries.
Days after the Pakistani forces unleashed attacks across Bangladesh, East Pakistan’s leaders vowed to win their Independence on March 26, 1971.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman then launched a guerilla war against the then Pakistani rulers.
The Liberation War later turned into a full-scale India-Pakistan War, leading to the surrender of 93,000 Pakistani soldiers in Dhaka on December 16, 1971.
India was the first country to recognise Bangladesh as a sovereign nation.
According to Bangladeshi freedom fighters and experts, Pakistani forces, during the 9 months of the Liberation War (March 26 to December 16, 1971), massacred over 3 million Bengali-speaking people, including children, and raped over 6 lakh women.
Over 1 crore families were displaced from their ancestral homes and lands during that period.
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#Bangladesh #Independence #Day #celebrated #Assam #Tripura
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 26, 2023
Left, Cong leaders to raise Tripura post-poll violence in Parliament

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Agartala: Taking a serious note of the clashes and violence in the aftermath of the elections in BJP-ruled Tripura, a Left-Congress delegation on Saturday said it will raise the issue in Parliament to bring the matter to the knowledge of all countrymen.
Members of the delegation, who had come under an attack of miscreants in Nehalchandranagar on Friday, during its tour of violence-hit areas, also said that senior leaders of the Left and the Congress will meet President Droupadi Murmu to apprise her of the “terror tactics unleashed by the BJP and RSS” in states ruled by the saffron camp.
Three people have so far been arrested in connection with Friday’s incident in Nehalchandranagar area of Sepahijala district.
Addressing a press conference, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Elmaram Kareem claimed that the “BJP-RSS- backed goons have not just mounted attacks on the people of the state but also destroyed means of their livelihood”, as many of them were forced to flee homes.
“The police are not taking action against the troublemakers, allowing them to roam about free for more vandalism in the northeastern state. It appears that law and order has completely collapsed in Tripura and the government has miserably failed to maintain peace,” he told reporters here.
Kareem, who arrived here along with seven MPs and senior leaders to take stock of the situation in Tripura, said that “the fact-finding delegation had called on Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya and briefed him about the prevailing condition” in the state, where elections were held on February 16 and the result declared on March 2.
The governor gave the delegation assurance that he would look into the matter and do the needful, the CPI(M) leader stated.
“We will raise this issue of post-election violence in the both houses of Parliament to draw the attention of the country. People outside the state are not aware about the very serious situation here,” he added.
All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ajay Kumar, who was also present at the press meet, claimed that the BJP has installed “Talibani raj” in Tripura.

Expressing concern over the attack on the MP delegation, Kumar said that the state had long been witnessing incidents of violence but “no measure has been taken to restore peace and order”.
“Neither the prime minister nor the home minister has made any statement on the attack on MP delegation in Tripura. It is an insult to Parliament,” he said.
CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said over 1,000 incidents of post-poll violence have been reported in the state
“Youth bearing affiliation to opposition camps had to leave homes and run for their lives in the wake of the unabated attacks. We want the government to be sympathetic towards those affected in the midst of post-poll violence,” he said.
Tripura Congress president Birajit Sinha claimed that a “civil war-like situation” may arise in the state, if nothing was done immediately to stop the miscreants.
Among others, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee was present at the meet.
Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee alleged that a “deep-rooted conspiracy” was behind the attack on the delegation.
“The Left and the Congress are simply trying to defame the BJP at the national stage. Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is in Delhi, has already spoken to the DGP and instructed him to take stern legal action on those involved in the attack. Senior party leaders have also discussed the matter with local functionaries,” said Bhattcharjee.
The BJP-IPFT government recently returned to power in the state for the second consecutive term, with the saffron party bagging 32 seats in the 60-member assembly and the regional outfit securing one constituency.
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#Left #Cong #leaders #raise #Tripura #postpoll #violence #Parliament
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 11, 2023
Tripura: CPI-M legislator’s mother assaulted; MLA blames BJP

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Agartala: The 79-year-old mother of a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) legislator in Tripura has been allegedly assaulted by some miscreants who also vandalised his home at Pratapgarh in West Tripura district.
Ramu Das, the CPI-M legislator, who claimed that the attackers were “BJP supporters”, told mediapersons on Thursday that his mother Kanan Das has been admitted to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital here after she was attacked on Wednesday night.
Das said the incident happened hours after the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Manik Saha and his council of ministers in presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda and others.
The MLA said the attack took place when he went to meet the doctor along with his wife.
He claimed that despite being informed of the incident immediately, the police were yet to arrest the culprits.
The CPI-M leader said that his house was attacked by the “BJP goons” several times earlier as well.
Meanwhile, CM Manik Saha, while talking with the media on Thursday, said that he has instructed the Director General of Police to take tough action against those who are responsible for the post-poll violence.
The opposition Congress and the CPI-M-led Left parties boycotted the swearing-in-ceremony on Wednesday citing the “unprecedented reign of terror unleashed by the BJP supporters and goons”.

The Congress and the Left leaders earlier met Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha and Director General of Police Amitabh Ranjan and submitted a memorandum detailing the incidents of violence and demanded immediate strict actions against the perpetrators.
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#Tripura #CPIM #legislators #mother #assaulted #MLA #blames #BJP
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 9, 2023
Amit Shah discusses Tripura tribal areas’ issues with Tipra Motha chief

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Agartala: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday held discussions with Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, in the presence of BJP president J P Nadda, over various issues faced by the indigenous people of Tripura, a senior leader of the saffron party said.
Debbarma, in a Facebook post, said the Union Home Minister has started the process for a “constitutional solution” for the indigenous people of Tripura and an interlocutor for the process would be appointed within a specific time frame.
BJP’s Northeast coordinator Sambit Patra said Shah gave a patient hearing to the issues explained by Debbarma and requested Chief Minister Manik Saha, who was also present in the meeting, to hold talks with ruling ally IPFT, along with Tipra Motha and social organisations, to find amicable solutions to the problems.
To a question, Patra, however, clarified that no discussions were held on political alliance or allocation of cabinet berths to Tipra Motha and the discussion was limited to “tribal welfare”.
“We hope to find a solution to the problems of the indigenous people through a series of meetings,” he said.
Tipra Motha, floated by Debbarma, bagged 13 of the 42 seats it contested in the recent elections to the 60-member assembly, emerging as the second-largest party in the House.
In a Facebook post, Debbarma said, “I thank the Home Minister for understanding the genuine problems of the sons of the soil. We successfully got our Bru people rehabilitated in our state after 23 years by signing the Bru accord and today we have started a huge dialogue to ensure that our survival and existence are protected. Issues such as alliance and cabinet were never discussed, only the interest of our ‘dopha’ (society) was discussed.”
Debbarma, a descendant of the former ruling family of Tripura, had long been seeking a “constitutional solution” to demands by his party for a separate state of Tiprasa.

While the BJP has made it clear that it is unwilling to concede a division of the tiny northeastern state, its leadership has spoken of a willingness to give more legislative, financial and executive powers to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), that runs affairs in areas dominated by tribal communities. The Tipra Motha administers the council.
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#Amit #Shah #discusses #Tripura #tribal #areas #issues #Tipra #Motha #chief
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 8, 2023
Tripura: CPI-M says 668 incidents of violence since March 2; blames BJP

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Agartala: The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) on Sunday claimed that since the announcement of the February 16 assembly election results on March 2 which indicated that the BJP secured a majority, over 668 incidents of violence have taken place in Tripura.
Blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — which bagged 32 of the 60 Assembly seats in the polls, thereby returning to power for its second term in the northeastern state, the CPI-M said at least three persons were killed while over 100 injured in the episodes of violence.
Many properties and houses were destroyed/ damaged during the violence, the CPI-M claimed.
CPI-M’s Tripura secretary Jitendra Chowdhury, accompanied by former minister Tapan Chakraborty and Left Front convener Narayan Kar on Sunday met Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha and apprised him about the prevailing “violent situation” in Tripura.
“In view of the series of attacks since March 2, thousands of people, including women and children, fled from their homes. They took shelter in the jungle and outside the state,” Chowdhury, a CPI-M central committee member, told the media.
He said that the “BJP goons and party workers attacked people, burning down their houses and properties”.
“Police remained a silent spectator and refused to register FIRs. The Chief Secretary, quoting the Director General of Police, said that 238 people were arrested in connection with the violent incidents. Actually these 238 people were detained for a while and after some time were let off,” the Left leader said.
He said that in the February 16 assembly polls, over 61 per cent of people did not cast their votes in favour of the BJP, adding that the saffron party’s 11 per cent vote share declined compared to the 2018 assembly polls’ outcome.

The CPI-M leader said that a large number of vehicles, shops, business establishments, houses, rubber gardens, fish ponds and other properties belonging to opposition party supporters have been burnt down or destroyed during the past four days.
Meanwhile, caretaker Chief Minister Manik Saha accompanied by the police chief Amitabh Ranjan visited Sepahijala and Khowai districts.
The police officers and the administration have been instructed to take strict action against the law breakers.
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#Tripura #CPIM #incidents #violence #March #blames #BJP
( With inputs from www.siasat.com )

March 5, 2023