Thursday 28 January 2016

Elevation Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council(TTAADC) to Tipraland State


(Cover page has been edited)
To
His Excellency the Governor of Tripura
Agartala  .
Dated, Agartala, the 18th January, 2016.
 
Respected Sir,                                                   
                                    We, on behalf of the Tipraland Movement Co-ordination Committee (Member organizations, namely; Tipraland State Party and Young Tripuri Association) would request you kindly to consider to accede our demand on elevation of  TTAADC to a full fledged statehood having its nomenclature for it as “TIPRALAND” in the best interest of  sons of soil (19 tribes) in the State as they are facing extinction in Tripura in the light of the two reasons of historical important events.
1.      Historical Background:-
(a)    Tripura with India on 15th October,1949 just after 2 years 1 month of her independence attainment on 15th August, 1947. Tripura was one of the oldest ancient princely State and ruled by 184 Tipperah/Tripuri Kings which started with King Druhya since 3102 B.C  and the last King was Bir Bikram Kishore Maniky. The reference of Tipperah/Tripura State could be correlated in the great epic ‘MahaBharata’.
(b)    With the sudden demise of the last King of Tripura on 17th May, 1947; the British rulers in India appointed the Queen Kanchaprava Devi to head the Council of Regency on 8th August,1947 who had also signed the Agreement of Merger to merge Tripura with India on 15th October, 1949.
(c)    The transition of Tripura from Monarchy to democracy was a smooth process between April, 1947 and October, 1949. The last King had taken initiative to merge his State with India by appointing  a minister on 28th April, 1947 to represent the State in the Constituent Assembly. With the sudden death of the last King, the then Queen Kanchan Prava Devi took part actively in the merger process and represented to the then Home Minister Sardar Bhallav Bhai Patel. The office of Chief Minister created by the monarchy was abolished on 20th December, 1947 by the Government of India with appointment of a Dewan to assist the Queen till the accession of Tripura in to India was accomplished. The Dewan continued in office till Tripura was made a Part-C State under the Constitution of India in 1951.
(d)    The transition of Tripura from a nominal democracy to a full-fledged parliamentary democracy witnessed enormous refugees influx in lakhs over a period of 1949-1972 and outnumbered the sons of soil in the State in to microscopic minority today. Due to refugees influx in this manner, the State witnessed food scarcity with sudden increase in population which Tripura never faced during the rule of Kings                 (Reference- Plan document of 1970-71, Planning & Co-ordination Department, Government of Tripura and graving of reserved land ( 1950 Square miles reserved land by the last King in 1943 for Panch-Tripuri)  by them although the Tripura Administration Order, 1949 issued by the government of India was in force till 19974. In 1948, Regent Maharani’s  Dewan A.B Chatterjee vide order no.325 dated 1oth Aswin, 1358 Tripura Era(1948 AD) opened 300 square miles out of the said reserved land for refugees’ settlement. Subsequently, more such opening of the reserved land was made for the refugees. The Tripura Administration Order, 1949 which stated that the Royal laws shall continue in force during the period from 1949 to 1974 was completely dishonored. The resentments started erupting in many forms and was suppressed by the ruling Governments in succession in the State till date. The result is the tribes of Tripura has become microscopic minority in population within 68 years of merger with India, although they were majority before acceding with India. According to 1991 Census, the actual percentage of tribes in Tripura was 23%, but to suppress  the resentment; the status quo in its population percentage had to be maintained to them feel that their population had not decreased. Thereafter, two successive Census had taken place in 2001 and 2011. Now, within 68 years of merger, tribes of Tripura had got reduced to minority who were once minority; how many more years it should require for them to extinct from the face of this earth. Perhaps, no where in the world, the percentage of original population (the sons of the soil) has been outnumbered by the refugees of another State(s) taking shelter in another State(s) where they are residing presently like it had happened in respect of Tripura State that due to the partition of India  from 1947 to till emergence of Bangladesh in 1971, lakhs of refugees sheltered therein on humanitarian ground from East Bengal or East Pakistan or presently Bangladesh. This is the historical fact as to how the sons of soil in Tripura is being an extinct minority today. It may take about a thousand years for any other communities to extinct but for the sons of soil in Tripura, it should require another 60-70 years as they become about 23% within the span of the last 68 years when 84th amendment of the Constitution of India shall be in force with effect from 2026. Therefore, the demand for elevation of TTAADC to a full-fledged State ‘TIPRALAND’ is on the question of existence of these sons of soil within the framework (Article 2 & 3) of the Constitution of India for their self-determination to save them from extinction.
2.   The two important historical reasons for which the sons of soil (19 tribes) of Tripura reduced to microscopic minority and facing extinction today:-
(a)    India attained independence on 15th August, 1947 the partition of  Bharat: India and Pakistan. As a result of partition, East Bengal became part of Pakistan which was known as East Pakistan thereafter.  Amidst of  Tripura in transition , lakhs of refugees from East Pakistan made  an entry here. The uninterrupted  influx of refugees continued. Tripura had had 683,704 refugees by the end of 1958. The registration of refugees discontinued from 1959-63. The registration of refugees restarted from 1964 to 1971 and registered 134,820 migrants (including after East Pakistan attained independence as Bangladesh in 1971). Tripura sheltered 818,524 refugees during 1946 to 1971 which is already added in each census which may kindly be seen in the given Table No.1.
(b)      Scenario of refugees influx in Tripura from East Bengal or East Pakistan or Bangladesh from 1947 to 1971.
Census
Total Population as per census
Year of Refugees Influx
Total Influx of Refugees
Sons of Soil
 (including all tribes)
Population of Others than tribes & Refugee
1
2
3
4
5
6
1951
645,707
1946-1951
(a)     284,004 (43.98%)
237,953
(36.85%)
123,750
(19.17)
1961
11,42,005
1952-61
(b)     399,700
360,070
(31.53%)
98,231
(8.6%)
 
 
 
 (a)+(b)=683,704
(59.87)
 
 
1971
1556342
1962-71
( c)  140,594
450,544
(28.95%)
287,274
(18.46%)
 
 
 
(a)+(b)+(c)=824,298
(52.96%)
 
 
N.B:- (a) stands for total influx of refugees sheltered till 1951; (b) stands for total refugees from 1952-61 and ( c ) stands for total refugees sheltered  during 1962-71 with registration discontinued during 1959-63 & it  is nil for the period.
Table No.1
The figure(s) in the parenthesis indicated the percentage of population as shown in the concerned column. The total population of Tripura minus the total refugees population would be 361703, that is the total population without refugees population in 1951. Therefore, the  percentage of the sons of soil (tribes) population in Tripura without refugees population would be 65.79% in 1951. Like wise the percentage of sons of soil minus the total refugees was 78.57% and 61.55% in 1961 and 1971 respectively. The sons of soil in Tripura prior to merger with India was not termed as tribes. Therefore, the figure of  population of tribes as shown in 1941 is doubtful as the ruler kings of Tripura did not declare them as tribes during their rules.  On the basis of records of census, the sons of soil in Tripura were majority even till 1951 Census. It is  kindly to be noted that the percentage increase in the population other than the sons of soil (tribes) & refugees appeared to be on the decrease in 1961 census but on the increase in 1971 census might be due children born to the refugees was not recorded as the in the census same was already absorbed in the preceding census . The percentage should not be less than 65-70% when the total refugees population sheltered is excluded from the total population in 1971. This is how the sons of soil was reduced to microscopic minority in Tripura within 68 years of merger with India. We are countering a rapid decrease in share of the total population in the State and a trend that is heading towards extinction if we are not granted statehood  for our self-determination under Article 2 & 3 of the constitution of India. We have full faith in the Constitution of India and the authorities of Indian Parliament for it will not let us extinct and grant us statehood by elevating Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council(TTAADC) in the nomenclature of it as “TIPRALAND”.
Besides, the Memorandum issued by the Government of India in the Ministry of Home granting the Citizenship of India to those Hindu illegal intruders from Bangladesh ( in case of Tripura) and Pakistan having intruded in to India till 31st December, 1914 shall further reduce the percentage in the population of the tribes in Tripura from the present microscopic minority in to un-accountability its population to the extent that the tribes in Tripura was majority and have been reduced to microscopic  minority within 67 years  of merging with India on 15th October, 1949. Therefore, it is easily assessable that how many more years shall take for these tribes to be insignificant in terms of percentage of the total population in the State.
It is noteworthy, there is no such incident in the history wherein anyone of the States in India due to partition in 1947 and emergence of new country Bangladesh in 1971 that  the existing original population was submerged by the refugees population and gain majority over the principal population by the refugees in the State wherein refugees of the East Bengal or East Pakistan or Bangladesh. This is the reality in case of the sons of soil(19 tribes) in the Sate of Tripura. This has resulted the tribes in the State to part their own land and self-rule under the Constitution of India. This is simply unprecedented in all aspects and the Government of India can not shirk the responsibility from protecting us from dire extinction.
                  Therefore, we, on behalf of the sons of soil (tribes) in Tripura under the banner of Tipraland Movement Co-ordination Committee, Tripura would like to draw your kind attention to the gravity of this issue of the sons of soil (tribes) in the days to come and request the Government of India to protect the sons of soil (all tribes in Tripura) from extinction by empowering a self-determination in the shape of elevating Tripura Tribal Autonomous Areas District Council(TTAADC) to a full-fledged State immediately under Article 2 and 3 of the Constitution of India for causes of the historic reasons that attributed to our being microscopic minority for  our protection from extinction.
                                  Yours faithfully
 The signatories are:-
1.Shri  Harinath Debbarma, Chairman, TSP
2.Shri Chitta Ranjan Debbarma, President, TSP
3.Shri Sonacharan Debbarma, Vice-President, TSP
4.Shri Gurupada Debbarma, General Secretary, TSP
5.Shri  Angel Jamatia, President, YTA  
 

Protection against whom political conspiracy hatched who are struggling on the question of extinction.

A news flashed in the local daily fË¢ah¡c£ Lmj (Pratbadi Kalam) dated 24-07-2015 with the caption "BC¢fHg¢V, j¡Jh¡c£ l¦M­a ­N¡fe °hWL ¢VHpB­ll" (meeting of TSRs  held in camera to counter/halt  IPFT & Maoists). The caption appears to be so simple but implications of the content of the said news have our grave concern. IPFT is a registered regional political party with the Election Commission of India. It carries out peaceful democratic movements through out the State of Tripura since 2009 A.D demanding statehood of TTAADC areas under Article 3 of the Constitution of India. The IPFT has full faith in the Constitution. Today, India is world's biggest democratic country. Tripura State is part of India wherein the present ruling CPIM Government hatched a meticulous plan to eliminate IPFT leaders by using TSR armed forces in an imaginary encounters or fake encounters. No sensible Government can do this. This is a war declared by the State Government against all tribes in the State to make them mute to demand their legitimate constitutional rights. Once upon a time, they were majority in the State. They are minority today for they had demanded rehabilitation of refugees on humanitarian ground who came to Tripura from East Bengal after partition in 1947 and birth of Bangladesh. In short, this was the historic reason as to how the tribes of Tripura were reduced to minority. This historic reason has made us to sacrifice for the refugees of those days curtailing their futures. The humanitarian values of these tribes in Tripura has no value for the people who belong majority today. On the strength of being majority and holding the clutch of all administrative machinery and powers, they have forgotten as to how the people belonging to tribes of Tripura demanded for their shelter in the State. In exchange of their humanity of these tribes, the lives of IPFT leaders are facing the risks of elimination. Before farther analysis of the content of the said news, it is needed to be translated for your kind reference. The copy of the news as a clipping is enclosed herewith for reference. However, the content of the said news caption is reproduced below by translating in to English:-
To cripple IPFT completely, the State Government (i.e; Tripura Government) is contemplating/planning/intending to engage TSR forces for action. An emergent meeting was taken by Shri T.B Roy, IGP(TSR) with 13 Commandants(TSR) at Headquarter of 2nd TSR  Battalion on 23-07-2015(Thursday). The discussion in the meeting held from 04:30 P.M & lasted till 08:30 P.M. A news has been received, the high leaderships of ruling party and its  ministers perceived that the rapid gaining ground of Maoists organization in the State and IPFT's gradual impact in the State could be put to a halt through and only through the use of barrels of guns. TSR personnel are preparing to eliminate active IPFT leader(s) by practically resorting to in the name of the word "encounter" as and when it would be necessary. A news has been received, the environment of extremism in the State has to be brought back to an extent shortly. Thereafter, the IPFT and Maoist leaders could be contented through suppression and oppression; to the extent of eliminating them (as and when thought to be required) by misuse of TSR forces in the name of containing extremist problems. This is why, today's emergent meeting is held. The ruling party(i.e CPIM) was dependent on hill people and hill tribes since its inception. The leader  Kankdwip movement in West Bengal, late Nripen Chakraborty was exiled in Tripura who realized Marxism could be seeded(inculcated) as just like jhum cultivation ideally amongst the hill people/tribes. Gradually, the red soil of the hill areas turned to be red flagged foundation of the Marxism. For which CPIM party of this State has been having a good result for a long time. Now, IPFT is gaining ground rapidly, their leaders are having a good relationship with Delhi; this has put the CPIM in a fix. In the mean time, IPFT has declared that they are gathering 1(one) lakh supporters in the capital as a showcase. Having heard it, a numbness feeling of the Melar math (CPIM's headquarter) has begun mounting and it will not demount. They(CPIM) have set aside the matter of countering IPFT through their organizational forces. Because, they are immersed in to unfathomable corrupt practices. So their organization is eroding in different areas. There is a lone reason, people have become fearful of the leaderships or the lower strata leaders of CPIM are not agreeing to be committed in their activities. Therefore, the ruling party in Tripura wants to resort anxiously to the use of administrative machinery to destroy/eliminate IPFT. It is said that for this reason, an emergent meeting with TSR Commandants was convened. Persons with accusations, who could not be arrested in connection with old cases to be unearthed or against whom such cases are pending shall be arrested with a view to harass  or suppress/oppress them or even a new concocted cases to be instituted - has been decided/resolved in the meeting. In spite of these steps, those(IPFT leaders) who will remain non-subdued  or will not succumb to these pressure, they will be put behind the bars by branding them as extremists or TSR will eliminate them under the cover of the word "encounter". Encounter, the term is not a new issue in the State. In Tripura, to counter increasing extremists menace in the last decade, the police and TSR personnel resorted to such numerous encounters. It did fetch a good result. One such exemplary area was Takarjala ( under Jampuijala Sub-Division, Sipahijala District). Like Tamil extremist LTTE carried out parallel administration in Jaffna of Srilanka, likewise NLFT extremists' organization had their influence  at Takarjala area was part of the then West Tripura District. Police personnel conducted a numerous encounters to free Takarjala. Some police officers had to become martyr. Recently, Maoist organization's activities has increased. The Mao leaderships of Jharkhand have started their activities in Sadar North tea garden areas. One of the senior columnists in the State is one amongst top leaders. They narrate the plight of tea garden workers as to how they are oppressed and deprived of rights; with this form of persuasion arms have been handed over to the unemployed youth like Bhagirath and Ananta. On 05-07-2015, Pratibadi Kalam(fË¢ah¡c£ Lmj) informed in its published news that as to how two Bolero Vehicle loaded arms has arrived here at Krishnapur Tea Garden area. The news so published that Maoist Organization may kidnap an MLA or a minister. The group was planning for Kidnap of Pranab Debbarma, MLA. The State Government has made Shri T.B Roy, IGP(TSR),in-Charge for countering Maoist activities, the sources said. In summary, ruling party has expressed their confidence in the power of arms to eliminate the top political leaders of IPFT and Maoists.
From the enclosure of copy of the news clipping of  local daily fË¢ah¡c£ Lmj (Pratbadi Kalam) dated 24-07-2015 with the caption "BC¢fHg¢V, j¡Jh¡c£ l¦M­a ­N¡fe °hWL ¢VHpB­ll" and translation thereof, it is obvious that the CPIM of Tripura being in the ruling party in State Administration does not believe in democratic peaceful movements as enshrined and guaranteed in the Constitution of India. As a result, they want to crush the peaceful movements of moments of IPFT by eliminating its leaders committing a fake encounters and bringing back extremists problem like situation to an extent in Tripura for the fault(!!!) of their just demand for elevation of  TTAADC in to “Tipraland” as homeland under the Article 3 of the Constitution of India. The key players for the purpose will be TSR Commandants of all 13 Battalions under the leadership of Shri T.B Roy, IPS, IGP(TSR). This shall be State sponsored heinous crime being meticulously planned to be committed upon all the rank and file of IPFT leaders. A war has been declared by the Home Minister; and in other words the Chief Minister, Tripura. It implies that the whole administrative machinery in the State  shall wedged against them. This is unfortunate that the attitude of the Government reflects towards the weaker section of State who had given all what they had for their(refugees) rehabilitation. Today, they are pushed to the edge of bank for their existence.
 Secondly, the State Government has the duty and responsibility to protect the lives of all citizens and their properties. IPFT is demanding TTAADC to be a homeland in the shape of Tipraland under Article 3 of the Constitution of India through and only thorough peaceful democratic movements. This demand is not illegal and unconstitutional. Yet they are termed as “Separatist” and “Communalist”. Above all, GMP of CPIM is spreading in the air that demanding TTAADC in to a separate state will invoke communal disharmony and even lead to communal riots. “Separatists” means who all intend to cessation from India. IPFT’s Demand for Tipraland is not a demand for cessation and it is very much within the framework of the Constitution of India. Tripura is in India. The present and the past rulers in State ( after 15th October, 1949 ) has/had been ruling on behalf of India and can not rise above the provisions of the Constitution of India.
There is no question for eruption of communal disharmony. The tribes of Tripura has set an glaring example of harmony in the country when refugees from East Bengal after partition and after Bangladesh War. Our people have given up all these things as a mark of humanity and on compassionate ground. The Jyrwa of Andaman is extinct by now. No political parties raise their voices for their cause. The last speaker of their language died in 2012. With this Jyarwa community’s journey came to an end. We stand up for our cause; raise our issues and we are are as communal. By branding us as communal, the ruling CPIM party is committed to suppressed our rights as guaranteed in the Constitution of India itself.  We are not communal for this is our cause of 19 tribes(84%) interest and 16%  non-tribes of total population live in TTAADC areas. The terms, “communal riots” is often pronounced by the GMP, TYF & TSU of CPIM in the State. They are willfully spreading it. The CPIM is spreading it; although they are supposed to be responsible ruling party in the State. We have not heard any other political parties to have propagated on communal riots for pricking the sentiments of non-tribes. This is CPIM’s own creation in the State.
Thirdly; the most noteworthy is that the Government of Tripura is allotting khas land in TTAADC areas and 35000 non-tribes have been illegally permitted to occupy forest land stating that they will not be evicted. The main objective of the ruling CPIM in power is to reduce the tribes in ADC areas in to minority aiming at dissolution of TTAADC in near future. Rather, as earliest as possible, they intend to achieve it. Once this is achieved, the tribes shall wanderers in their own land and find one day in the situation of Andamanease like extinction. 
Fourthly; Tripura is the part of the land in India. Any Government which is unable to run in conformity with the provision of the Constitution; is treated to be break down of the Constitutional machinery and the law of the land should take its own course. The Government of Tripura in which CPIM is ruling; does not have faith in the Constitution of India wherein guarantee of the rights on peaceful democratic movements for their betterments is assured. But the ruling CPIM and Government of Tripura are hatching a war against all rank and file of IPFT leaderships for their elimination by engaging TSR in the name of encounters.
Fifthly; the demand for Tipraland is not the demand that we are asking from the Government of Tripura and it do not have competency to grant it. This is the matter to be considered by the two houses of the Parliament in the country.
Now, in the light of the news published in the local daily fË¢ah¡c£ Lmj (Pratbadi Kalam) dated 24-07-2015 with the caption "BC¢fHg¢V, j¡Jh¡c£ l¦M­a ­N¡fe °hWL ¢VHpB­ll" (meeting of TSRs  held in camera to counter/halt  IPFT & Maoists), the observation is, although AFSPA has been withdrawn from the tribal areas in view of peaceful environment with no extremist activities in the State, all TSR camps in the tribal areas should be withdrawn forthwith to avoid concoction extremist like situation and bringing back imagery extremist prone areas environment through IGP(TSR); the Government of Tripura and IGP(TSR) shall be responsible for any such encounter killing leading to the death of IPFT leaders and workers of any rank and file. Therefore, the Government of Tripura should ensure that the lives and properties of all rank and files of IPFT leaders/any opponent  are protected as this is the duty of the State Government as enshrined in the Constitution of India.

The British Policy in Tipperah


The British came in to contact with Tipperah State when the East India Company had started its activities in 1761. The territorial area of Tipperah State stretched from Sundarbans in the West, Burma (presently Myanmar) in the East & South; and in the North was Kamrup (presently in Assam). The land area of Tipperah was distinctively divided in two parts; namely; the hilly land area and the plain land area. The ruler king of Tipperah was independent in hilly area. The plain area was known as Chakla Roshnabad.
There was a quarrel between the then Ruler of Tipperah Raja Krishna Manikya(1760-1783) and Nawab of Bengal over revenue payment on Chakla Roshnabad Estate as Raja was Zamindar of the plain area Chakla Roshnabad. The Nawab of Bengal punished the Raja with the assistance of English by getting instructed to the Governor Vansittert, Verelst, the Chief at Islamabad(Chittagong),  in February, 1761 sent Liutenant Mathews with 200 sepoys and two guns to Tipperah to help the Nawab of Bengal. The actual intent was to extend their territory. However, the Raja of Tipperah did not have sovereignty over Chakla Roshnabad and was zamindar in respect of it for collection of revenue thereof  and deposition of it with the Nawab of Bengal. The British did not take much interest as the Hill Tipperah was covered with dense forest as much revenue would not be accrued. Therefore, Hill Tipperah remained independent and undisturbed from British rulers in India. So it was independent Hill Tipperah with 8000 square miles. Tripura was known as Hill Tipperah till 1866.

King Bir Bikram Manikya Debbarman of Tipperah

King Bir Bikram was born on August 19, 1908.
Ascended the throne in 1923.
His coronation took place January 29, 1928
He died on May 17, 1947.
 
He reserved 1950 square miles land for his five subjects, namely; Tripuri, Jamatia, Reang, Noatia and Halam in 1941 and 1943.
 
His extensive travelling included India, Europe and America in 30's.
That's how he came to contact with  Benitto Mussolini in Italy, Adolf Hitler in Germany, Franklin Roosevelt in the USA  and king of England from he gained experience in his governance. He introduced 'Gram Mondol" and elected municipality for Agartala. He was also considered as one of the pioneers in land reforms.
 
He set up number of educational institutions including Maharaja Bir Bikram College at Agartala. His magnanimous gesture to all section of people earned him the reputation of being secular.
 
Maharaja Bir Bikram was succeeded by his own son, Maharaja Kirit Bikram Kishore who was king for two years and thereafter the State Tipperah/Tripura merged with India on October 15, 1949.

 

Visit to Amar Dighi: Excavated by King Amar Manikya

Yesterday on 27/01/2016, I visited Amar Dighi ( a large pond at Amarpur Sub-Divisional Magistrate office) excavated by Maharaja (King) Amar Manikya  of this State Tipperah (presently Tripura, India) and about more than 100 years old.  This is one of the towns established by then King. The present Sub-Divisional Magistrate's office is at the bank of Amar Dighi. Amarpur is one of the Assembly Constituencies in Tripura State. The Election Commission of India has declare a bye-election due to the sitting Member of Tripura Legislative Assembly. Therefore, all political parties, national and regional have filed nominations for their candidates to the Returning Officer ( Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Amarpur ). It was yesterday that the filing of nomination for the bye-election was scheduled to be the last. The last candidate who filed nomination was Mr. Ranajoy Jamatia of Burburia (Amarpur ) of Tipraland State Party which is demanding Tipraland - for saving them from extinction.