Tipraland

TIPRALAND STATE PARTY

(TSP)

A registered political party with the Election Commission of India

(Registration No. 56/199/2015-17/PPS-I )

An Appeal

FOR SUPPORT TO THE CAUSE OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE(19 TRIBES) OF TRIPURA WHO ARE DEMANDING ELEVATION OF TRIPURA TRIBAL AREAS AUTONOMOUS DISTRICT COUNCIL(TTAADC) TO A FULL FLEDGED STATE “TIPRALAND” FOR THEIR SURVIBILTY OR EXISTENCE UNDER ARTICLE 3 of THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA.

Tripura was a princely State ruled by 184 kings before her merger with India on 15^th October, 1949 AD. The Tipperahs who are presently known as Tipras or Tripuris including 19 different tribes who were  majority prior to the merger of their independent State with India. The independence was based on the bi-nations theory based on religions – the Hinduism and the Islamism. As a result, the partition of India in to Hindustan in the form of Bharat or India and Pakistan emerged as independent States on 15^th August and 14^th August respectively in 1947 AD. 55% of the  total population of Bengal was Muslims who belonged to East Bengal part of the then Bengal. This does not mean that there were no Muslims in West Bengal. The heart of the issue is that the partition had resulted lakhs of refugees from East Pakistan (erstwhile East Bengal) to come to Tripura since 1947 AD itself as East Bengal or East Pakistan or presently Bangladesh due partition and birth of Bangladesh in 1971 AD. Apparently, it may lead to perception that influx of refugees from Bangladesh have come to a stand still. Unfortunately, it has not. The issue of intrusion of illegal immigration is taking place every day. It is difficult to identify them in the midst of lakhs of refugees who are already here in this State from 1947-1971. Perhaps,  the numbers of illegal immigrations in the State have exceeded in quadruple to the number of refugees  who came during the period of 1947-1971.

Therefore, our demand is for elevation of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to Tipraland State for the reasons that the indigenous people (include 19 tribes) were majority before Tripura merged with India attained independence on 15^th August, 1947 AD. The princely Tripura State merged with India on 15^th October, 1949 AD. Sooner the India attained independence, the swamp of refugees in terms of lakhs in number came in to Tripura which continued almost in uninterrupted manner till the birth of Bangladesh as independent country in 1971 AD. Today, the indigenous people (19 tribes) have been reduced to microscopic minority in their own homeland. They are the victim of the circumstances of the refugees influx which is the interplay of the partition of this country in 1947 AD; that has stretched up to the Bangladesh liberation war in 1971 AD. Besides, there is no little scope to presume that the intensity of illegal immigration from Bangladesh have been checked by the Government machineries so deployed and it has come to a complete stopped till date. The intrusion of illegal immigration is taking place every day.  If this trend of illegal influx continues uninterruptedly; the percentage of population of indigenous people (19 tribes ) will turn in to insignificant one in the next 10(ten) years or so. The existing TTAADC would by then be no longer relevant when the population of indigenous tribes would get reduced to microscopic minority as the TTAAD is presently being ruled by CPI(M) which has been giving allotment of land within its area to at least 10,000 families in a year. Today, their existence is threatened within 69^th year of Tripura’s merger with India. In fact, no other State is suffering from such setback due to refugees problem in India. They need to be saved from being extinct; like the aboriginal people in Andaman.    Tripura merged with India was for her indigenous (all most all 19 tribes are of Mongolian origin ) people’s all round socio-political and economic development with sustainability; and security including the issue their survival or existence but not for making her indigenous people get reduced to microscopic minority and finally threatened its survival today.  Therefore, the only alternative before us to demand elevation of the TTAADC to  full-fledged State under Article 3 of the Constitution of India and the Government of India to shoulder onus by granting statehood in order to save us from extinction so as to enable us to survive.

2. The last King of Tripura Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma reserved plain land for his indigenous people in two spells in 1931 AD and  in 1943 AD respectively. The most of the said land so reserved for them went out of their hands illegally to the hands of refugees although the para 5 of NOTIFICATION of the Government of India in the Ministry of States vide No.221-P, dated 15^th October, 1949 says, “All laws in force in Tripura or any part thereof immediately before the commencement of this Order shall continue to be in force until repealed or amended by a competent legislature or authority; provided that all powers exercisable under the said laws by His  the Maharaja or the Government of the State shall be exercisable by the Chief Commissioner.” This provision of law was violated since 1949 itself and innumerable refugees who came to Tripura right from 1947 from East Pakistan (erstwhile East Bengal) encroached in to the said reserved land. This was how the indigenous tribes in Tripura were dislodged from the reserved land. Today, they are pushed to the edge of the wall – endangered.

 3. We have been launching movements peacefully and democratically in the State of Tripura. We do have faith in the Constitution of India and the power vested therein. We have become victims of being reduced to minority by the victim refugees of the erstwhile East Bengal or East Pakistan or presently Bangladesh due to partition of India in 1947 and Bangladesh Liberation War in 1971.  According to 1951 Census, the total population of Tripura without refugees was 375,303 ( by adding figure of Col.3 & 4 of the Table-2 below) and the total refugees sheltered or settled down in Tripura within a period of 24 years from 1947 to 1971 was 609,998 (excluding growth after the refugees sheltered or settled). However, the figure itself was more than its natural population in Tripura. It may kindly be noted that the Population Census in 1951 had not been properly conducted as some reactionary disruptive group was active in the tribal belt in Tripura. Besides, the Enumerators carried out enumeration without pay visits to the  households in tribal hamlets; rather they had visited market in the tribal hamlets areas and collected information sitting in the tea stalls. Therefore, the population figure on the tribes of Tripura as per 1951 Census was inaccurate and unreliable. The population of Tribes in Tripura should not be less than 93%. In the words of Dr. Ashok Kapur, “…….., whereas Tripura had witness demographic inversion. The tribal population of Tripura, which was 93 percent in 1947 has been reduced to a minority of 23% of its 3.19 million population today. The changing demographic balance, economic pressures and awareness resulted in tribal resentment, which grew with the unabated influx of migrants. It is difficult to assess the quantum of immigration since no such data is available; ………the decadal growth birth rate indicates the maximum influx has taken place in to Tripura after 1950 which will evident from data given as under:-

Table-1

Census Year	Tribal Population	Others	Decadal Growth rate
			Tribal	Other
1951*	237953	367297	(-)7.41	43.46
1961	360070	662210	51.32	80.29
1971	450544	912938	25.13	37.86
1981	583920	1158754	29.60	25.37
1991	853345	1452744	46.14	25.37
2001	1098820	1991180	28.76	36.48

            Source:- Demographic Invasion of India from North East-Indian Defence Review by Dr. Ashok Kapur.

                             *The Population Census in 1951 had not been properly conducted.

4. As per 2011 Census, the total population of Tripura is 36,72,000 & the growth was owing to historic partition of India forced Tripura to share its all resources and created an impact on socio-economic and political too. This is a demographic invasion against our tribes in Tripura which is resulting their gradual extinction. Perhaps,  no other tribes or race who have to encounter such demographic invasion in such short period that they face today. Therefore, we are the victims with cascading effects of the victim refugees of the partition of India in 1947 and Bangladesh Liberation War ending in 1971. This was the lone reason for the tribes in Tripura to become minority within less than 3(three) years from the date of Tripura merged with India on 15-10-1949. The influx of refugees from the year 1947 to 1951 was landmark demographic invasion against the tribes in Tripura resulted that they reduced to minority and it is taking place continuously even today. There is no other option or alternative before us but to demand for elevation of TTAADC to a full-fledged “Tipraland” statehood within the framework and under Article 3 of the Constitution of India for the fact that the population of our tribes will get reduced to insignificant percentage or to the state of extinction in the next two decade or so from now. Had there been no such enormous influx of refugees in the State of Tripura, the present demand for Tipraland State would in no way have arisen. Tripura merged with Indian Union for the safeguards of its people; especially the tribes who were majority before her merger. The  tribes will extinct gradually without safeguards under the Article 3 of the Constitution of India without the elevation of TTAADC to a full fledged State a right of self determination. Tripura acceded to Indian Union on 15-10-1949 for safeguards. This should be upheld by granting an elevation of  TTAADC to a full fledged State “Tipraland” under Article 3 of the Constitution.

Table-2

The Influx of Refugees in Tripura from 1947 to 1971

Years(s)	No. of refugees registered	Population of tribes	Population of Non-tribes	Total (Including Refugees)
1	2	3	4	5
1947-51	279,404 (42.68)***	237,953 *(63.40) & (36.34)**	137,350 *(36.60) &(20.96)**	654,707 (as per 1951 Census)
1952-58	190,000	360,070 *(53.53) & (31.53)**	312,531 *(47.47) & (27.37)**	11,42,005 (as per 1961 Census)
Sub-Total (A)	469,404 (41.10)***
1959-63	Registration of Refugees discontinued
1962-71 (B)	140,594	450,544 *(47.61) & (28.95)**	495,800 *(52.39) & (31.86)**	15,56,342 ( as per 1971 Census)
Total of (A)  & (B) of Col. 2	609,998 (39.19)***

N.B:- Figure in the parenthesis indicate percentage. * (one esterric) indicate percentage of of the population of tribes & non-tribes excluding the population of refugees and **(two esteric) indicate the percentage of population of the tribes and non-tribes including the population of the refugees.

Source:- Author Gayatri Bhattacharyya in her book titled “Refugee Rehabilitation and its Impact on Tripura’s Economy”, Omsons Publication, Guwahati, 1988, p.14.

5. The above information on refugees in Tripura since the Partition of India in 1947 and the first concluded Population Census in 1951 in the State clearly stated that the population of tribes was 63.40% excluding the population of the refugees from East Pakistan ( erstwhile East Bengal ) but they were 36.34% taking account of the refugee population.

6. The decadal (1951-61) percentage increase in tribes was 33.91% & non-tribes(excluding refugees) was 56.05%. The decadal increase in percentage in respect of non-tribes was highly alarming. Since decadal  percentage increase in respect of tribes was 33.91; it could not be more than this % increase in case of non-tribes too. The excess increase in percentage of non-tribes by 22.14 more than tribes was due to increase in the population of refugees by way of natural growth after they took refuge in Tripura or some more unaccounted refugees came from across the border which could not be ruled out.

7. It was almost as soon as Tripura merged with Indian dominion within less than 3(three) years; the population of tribes that was commanding majority had witnessed vigorous demographic invasion. The population of tribes without refugees would have been about 90%.  The household to household enumeration which could not be held due to remoteness and far flung areas in the State. There was a habit of frequent shifting amongst the tribes households from one place to the other. The demographic invasion that had been taking place since 1947 to 1971 and has been continuing thereafter too.

8. Tripura has been experiencing illegal intrusions occurring even after cut off date 24^th March, 1971. The cases of illegal migration from Bangladesh has surfaced through a seminar paper on “Politics around illegal migration from Bangladesh: With special reference to Assam and Tripura”  submitted  by Shri Minal Kanti Deb and Dr. Arabindo Mahato in the National Seminar on “Issues, Challenges & Development” held on September 11-12, 2015; organized by Rajiv Gandhi University Research Scholars Forum in collaboration with Department of Political Science, RGU. The proceedings of the paper has been published by the Authors Press: ISBN 978-93-5207-161-6: Q-2A Hauz  Khas Enclave, New Delhi-1100016. The said seminar paper stated that a horrible statistics is being indicated in case of Tripura, the number of illegal migrants had managed to entered was 800,000 and 325,400 in 2001. It proves the extent of corruption in regards to providing citizenship in this State of Tripura, while there was no witness of push-back in to Bangladesh. Therefore, there is uninterrupted flow of illegal migrants in the State.  The irony is; the illegal migrants are living in the State under the guise of language and cultural affinity and under the patronage of the political in power; which the Government of Tripura is definitely aware about it but is not paying any heed to it for the reasons best known to it. Therefore, illegal migration is continuing even after the cut off date (24-03-1971) as per Indira-Mujib Pact. We are certain that the numbers of such illegal migrants are yet to have an actual estimation in Tripura. The numbers would be more than what has been revealed in the seminar paper as submitted by those scholars. The amendment of the Citizenship Act, 1955 is imminent by the both houses of Parliament. Perhaps; the Government of Tripura might come up with the estimated figures of illegal migrants after the amendment of the Citizenship Act, 1955; or they will be granted citizenships silently and without notice.

9.  An all party meeting was organized by the Government of Tripura on the issues of the development of tribes in Tripura which was held on February 26, 1992. It was just a year after the population census 1991 concluded. The representative of the then opposition Party in the Tripura Legislative Assembly submitted a written statement submitted in the said meeting. The points; inter-alia of the said submitted statement were  the population of tribes was 23% in the State; the illegal intruders should be confined in a camp and be deported; intrusion of illegal Bangladeshis in TTAADC areas should be prevented in order that the population of tribes was not reduced; and Inner line Permit should be introduced in TTAADC. It may kindly be noted that the  percentage of tribes in the State was shown to be 28.5% in 1991 Census. In other words; the reality was that the matter concoction of determining the percentage of tribes surfaced to the opposition political party. The Government of Tripura could sense its implication. Although the actual percentage was 23; but to burry the issue; the percentage of tribes in 1991 census was settled at 28.5%. When the actual % tribes was 23% according to 1991 census; then we subsequent two more censuses in 2001 and 2011. Since the actual percentage of Tribes in Tripura was 23 in 1991; taking in to consideration of the said above estimated illegal migration in 1998 and 2001; of course, the trend of illegal migrants from Bangladesh continues even thereafter; the present % of the tribes population in Tripura should even be less than 17.

10.  It was also seen that 135,000 illegal voters in Tripura was detected by the Election Commission of India in 1994 but they had been enrolled in the Electoral Roll finally.

11. As per news report as published in the local daily “Syandan Patrika” on 09-05-2017 which stated that 1,48,000 fake voters were detected in the electoral roll in 2012 before the General Election to the Tripura Legislative Assembly-2013 and Mr. Binode Saxena, Joint Secretary to the Election Commission of India on having supervised on the issue declared that these were fake Bangladeshi voters who would be deleted from the electoral roll. But these fake Bangladeshi voters were not deleted from the Electoral roll for the reasons not known.  Therefore, the tribes of Tripura were pushed towards another step to insignificant; their existence need to be safeguarded within the framework of the Constitution of India. Therefore, we demand elevation of TTAADC to Tipraland State under  Article-3 of the Constitution of India.

12.  It is not difficult to perceive the percentage of the tribes will get reduced when illegal migrants are granted citizenship after the proposed amendment of the Citizenship Act, 1955.

In view of uninterrupted enormous illegal migration in the State and in TTAADC, the percentage of the population of tribes is presently constituted at 84% and 23% in the State who have been majority and reduced to minority due to refugees influx; and the Government of Tripura in association of TTAADC is giving land allotment to the non-tribes within TTAADC areas with a purpose is to further reduce or bring down the percentage of tribes population for letting the Sixth Schedule lose its relevancy. The State is working out to achieve this goal. The achievement of this goal would imply that the tribes would lose the right to demand for safeguards under the Article-3 of the Constitution of India; because the population of the tribes in TTAADC will lose  majority by then. This is a wake up call for the Government of India to provide safeguards to the tribes in Tripura by granting Tipraland State. The centre of our focal point should be on development activities; but after extinction of these tribes; development activities should be for whom?  Therefore, we appeal you to kindly uphold and support our cause for granting constitutional safeguards to the tribes in Tripura by way of elevation of the TTAADC to a full fledged State “Tipraland” under Article-3 of the Constitution of India.