People's Democracy

TRIPURA

Massive Rally on Nine-Point Charter Held

Manik Sarkar addressing the rally in Agartala

Haripada Das

A HUGE rally of more than half a lakh people of all sections comprising jhumias, agricultural labourers, day labourers, farmers, small traders, village artisans, students, youth, women and fishermen etc., was held in Agartala. The rally declared to carry forward the much bigger struggle ahead on the nine-point charter of demands that are a pre-requisite for the all round development and progress of the state including employment generation and upgrading the living standards of the general people. The rally was the culmination of July-August statewide campaign and signature collection movement called by the joint movement committee of 26 Left mass organisations. Nearly seven lakh mass signatures on a memorandum addressed to the prime minister collected during the campaign movement was handed over to the three members of parliament representing the state for submitting it to the prime minister.

The huge rally at Stable Ground on October 7, 2007 was presided over by a presidium comprising Niranjan Debbarma, secretary, Tripura Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad, Rama Das, working president, Ganatantrik Nari Samity, Sukumar Barman, secretary, Schedule Caste Coordination Committee, Dinesh Saha of AITUC, Satish Saha of TUCC and Prankrishna Acharjee of UTUC. The people from the sub-divisions of West Tripura and South Tripura districts and Kamalpur of Dhalai district gathered in the rally traveling by bus, mini-bus and small vehicles whereas rallyists of Agartala town and its suburbs assembled there in procession. The procession marched for about 4 kilometers to reach the end-point at Bat-tala. While passing along the road, the procession was greeted with heart-felt cheers from the pedestrians. The procession flowed through the entire width of the road.

Congratulating the 26 Left mass organisations for launching such an important campaign movement, chief minister Manik Sarkar said “We the ministers, Left Front MPs, MLAs, ADC members and representatives of most of the elected bodies are the co-signatories of the memorandum along with seven lakh people of the state. But it is regrettable that no Congress leader signed on the charter of demands, Manik Sarkar said. Lambasting the negative role of the Congress and other opposition parties on these demands, he said, “ At a time when we staged a Delhi march for extension of railways, they ridiculed us. The opposition parties never came forward in support of any demand for state’s development nor organised any movement in the interest of the welfare of the people of the state. During the long rule of the Congress party at the centre, people of Tripura were disgusted to hear the central government saying, ‘no industry without infrastructure’ and ‘no infrastructure without rail’. But they never took responsibility for absence of infrastructure or rail,” Manik Sarkar said. Expressing the Left Front government’s strong desire to extend broad gauge rail up to Subroom, Manik Sarkar informed that the state government expressed its intention to share 10 to 15 percent of the total cost if the centre takes up the project. Tripura is the only state in the country that agrees to share expenditure on rail extension, he said.

Manik Sarkar said experience shows that no demand, however justified it may be, right from the demand for the statehood to the demand for ADC was met by the centre without struggle. All the demands were realised by the people with tremendous mass struggle led by Left parties. What the Congress did for so long and is doing till today, is to suppress the popular democratic struggle along with the help of imperialist forces and the vested interests inside the country. The anti-national extremist forces, though suffered shrinkage to a large extent in the preceding years, have again started their moves at the diktat of their patrons in the open political front. Discussions were held between them in Shillong, Guwahati and Aizwal with an eye on the next Assembly elections. They are conspiring to stall the progress of the state, Manik Sarkar informed and cautioned the people to keep their vigil wide open and alert against subversive activities of these forces in the coming days. He also appealed the Left Front workers to widen their support base in a most persuasive and appealing manner.

The convenor of the joint movement committee of 26 Left mass organisations, Narayan Kar explained the various stages of this movement and the wide popular support it achieved towards the charter of demands. He also reminded the extreme plight of the people during Congress regime before 1978 and during 1988-93 when hungry people with begging bowls were dealt with bullets. Amidst high applause, Narayan Kar appealed the people to teach the anti-people Congress a lesson and make the next Assembly election a recurrence of 1978 when Congress bagged nil seats in the Assembly.

Excerpts of the memorandum to the prime minister signed by 6,61,084 lakh people of Tripura.

Tripura is a landlocked state of the North East Region having international border with Bangladesh on three sides. It is particularly isolated from the mainland. People of Tripura are not responsible for this situation; rather this is due to partition of the country. But even after 61 years of independence, government of India has not taken any effective steps to overcome this situation. Due to lack of basic infrastructure for development including proper connectivity, valuable natural and human resources could not be utilised for development of the state. As a result major portion of the population is still below the poverty line. There are large numbers of eligible youth in the state who are unemployed. As a result of these deprivations, secessionist forces are able to gain foothold and raise their heads.

This intolerable situation should be ended soon. Tripura wants to achieve rapid economic prosperity and self-sufficiency by using its available natural and human resources with particular emphasis on improving standard of living of all sections of society. For this, immediate fulfillment of following minimum urgent specific demands by the government of India is necessary.

We undersigned people of Tripura humbly request Hon’ble prime minister of India for taking necessary steps for implementation of these demands at the earliest:

1. The extension of rail line up to Subroom should be taken up as a national project and work should begin thereon without further delay.

2. Upgrading of NH-44 to four lanes standard (as already announced by Hon’ble prime minister) should commence at the earliest.

3. Existing state highway on the alignment via Kupital-Dharmanagar-Kumarghat-Kamalpur-Khowai-Amarpur-Shilachhari should be declared as alternative National Highway and required necessary work to be taken up at the earliest.

4. North Tripura district should be brought under NERGA scheme immediately.

5. Implementation of the Palatana (foundation stone for which was laid by the Hon’ble prime minister in October 2005) and Monarchawk Gas Thermal Power Projects should begin immediately.

6. Eligibility norms under Bharat Nirman should be suitably amended to enable coverage of those villagers having population less than 250 (mostly tribal populated) located in hilly difficult areas in Tripura without road connectivity under this programme.

7. A special scheme should be urgently drawn up to provide gainful employment for the unemployed youth of North Eastern region.

8. Existing airports at Kailashahar and Kamalpur should be made operational and air services resumed therefrom at the earliest.

9. Immediate and effective steps should be taken to control and bring down the rising prices of foodgrain and essential commodities.