Manik Sarkar, the former Chief Minister of Tripura, launched a scathing attack on both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress party, accusing them of betraying the tribal community in the state. Speaking at a convention titled “Unite All Democratic Forces to Defend the Rights,” jointly organized by the GMP, TYF, and TSU at Agartala Town Hall, Sarkar praised the efforts of the then Left Front government in fighting for the rights and autonomy of the tribal communities in Tripura.
Sarkar sought to defend the Left Front government’s legacy, emphasizing their initiatives to preserving tribal traditions, culture, and identity. He credited the Left Front for advocating the implementation of the Forest Rights Act, a crucial step in safeguarding the rights of forest-dwelling communities.
Highlighting the Congress party’s actions, Sarkar accused them of obstructing the formation of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and overlooking the promotion of the Kok-Borok language. He asserted that it was the Left Front government that recognized Kok-Borok as the state language, giving due importance to the linguistic heritage of the tribal population.
Expressing his concerns about the BJP-led government’s policies, Sarkar criticized the proposed forest bill, claiming that it could lead to a transfer of land control from tribal communities to powerful corporate interests, jeopardizing the livelihood and culture of the tribals in Tripura.
Addressing the recently presented state budget, Sarkar criticized the BJP-led coalition government, raising alarms over the escalating state debt, which, he claimed, doubled during the last five years without commensurate development in the state.
In addition to voicing his discontent with the state budget, Sarkar also took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s handling of the Manipur issue, alleging his absence from parliamentary discussions on the matter.
The convention witnessed the presence of notable figures, including CPI-M State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhury and former Chief Executive Member of ADC Radhacharan Debbarma. The event aimed to unite various democratic forces in Tripura, rallying support for the defense of tribal rights and interests.
