There are 19 sons of soil/tribes in Tripura ( erstwhile Tipperah ). They were majority before. They are microscopic minority today for historic reasons. What were those historic reasons? First; the partition of India in 1947: Lakhs of refugees sheltered in Tripura from the place of East Pakistan (erstwhile East Bengal ) during the period from 1947; Secondly; the birth of Bangladesh (erstwhile East Pakistan) - an independent sovereign country: it had also resulted influx of refugees in to Tripura in 1971. Arguably; there was no records maintained although an uninterrupted influx continued every day. If any authority of the Government of Tripura when be asked on influx from Bangladesh; the reply would be negative. Owing to such unrecorded influx, the population in the State is increasing rapidly and reducing the population of sons of soil in to 23%(actual) and covered up recorded was 29.5% in 1991 Census. When the Jarwa & Boa of Andaman are on extinct with less than 500 population; the sons of soil in Tripura/Tipperah is also following the identical line of extinction slowly and gradually; as within the 68 years of merger with India on 15-10-19949; its population got reduced so much so that it would not take much time more for extinction from the face of the world.
The plight is that when the sons of soil in Tripura make any demand for them within the framework of the Constitution of India; they are branded as communal,Secesionists and Separatists. If they were communal; the refugees who fled due to communal riots in East Pakistan following the partition and came to Tripura for their lives and on humanitarian ground, their rehabilitation in the State was demanded by the members of the sons of the soil. Where is the scope to indicate that the sons of the soil were communal. Now, on the question of Secessionists and Separatists; who should be treated Secessionists and Separatists? Those who organizes a movement with an objective to secede from Indian territory and form an independent country can be treated to secessionists and Separatists. The people of Tripura in TTAADC areas are not demanding such rights. Their demand is elevation of TTAADC to a full-fledged State under the Article 2 and 3 of the Constitution of India. It is very much a constitutional rights for the sons of soil to counter themselves from extinction like the Jarwa and Boa communities of Andaman. This is a demand is appropriate for them for saving from extinction. It is disgraceful for the sons of the soil in TTAADC of Tripura (India) that they are being branded as communal and separatists for a demand which is verily within the parameters of the Constitution of India. In spite of the fact that the demand is legitimate and constitutional, the ruling Communist Party of India(Marxist) CPIM- a political party in the State is branding the members of Tipraland State Party demanding for a full fledged State and others to be communal, secessionists and separatists with an intention to derogate them and extinct them. The tribal branch organizations of CPIM like Gana Mukti Parishad, Tribal Youth Federation and Tribal Students Federation and their leaders like Mr. Bajuban Ryan, Mr. Jitendra Choudhury, Mr. Niranjan Debbarma, Mr. Narayan Rupini, Mr. Aghore Debbarma, Mr. Ranjit Debbarma, Mr. Radhacharan Debbarma, Mr. Pranab Debbarma and Mr. Ranjan Debbarma have joined the same chorus that is sung by their political bureaus of the CPI(M). However, sensing the danger of extinct, the people have launched a democratic peaceful movement for achieving the demand. Let us hope that the Government of India takes heed of it.
