‘Amra Bangali’ party of Tripura demands reinvestigation of Bengali genocide.

Raising serious allegations against selective targeting of Bengalis in the name of identifying illegal immigrants in Tripura, the regional political party of non-tribals in Tripura – Amra Bangali has trained guns against the demand of BJP’s ally in the state government TIPRA Motha to push back the people who came after March 25, 1971 from Bangladesh and urged the government to reopen the cases of genocide by the banned militant outfits during 80s and 90s.

Addressing media here today, Amra Bangali State Secretary Gouranga Rudra Pal criticized TIPRA Motha leaders and its MLA Ranjit Debbarma, accusing him of delivering hate speech against Hindu Bengalis and creating a communal divide in the society. He sought clarification from Union Home Minister Amit Shah whether Ranjit Debbarma formally joined the mainstream before getting elected to Tripura Legislative assembly from TIPRA Motha party. He alleged that Ranjit Debbarma is accused of murdering more than a hundred Bengalis when he was underground and led the banned outfit ATTF during the 1990s.

“Most unfortunate, the person who resorted to armed rebellion and killed hundreds of innocent civilians and security forces over the decades. We demand clarification on how an insurgent became an MLA and still, several cases are pending against them”, Rudra Pal alleged.

The party also issued a strong demand for a judicial reinvestigation into the infamous June 1980 riots and multiple instances of massacres and violent attacks on Bengalis that occurred in Tripura during the last three decades. They alleged that justice has remained elusive for the Bengali victims of ethnic violence and political negligence.

“The 1980 riots led to the massacre of hundreds of innocent Bengalis. Even after four decades, no proper investigation or justice has been delivered. Similarly, several acts of mass violence, property lootings, and targeted killings of Bengalis have taken place in last 40 years, often by extremist groups. The victims were either forgotten or silenced”, Rudra Pal said. He demanded that the state government constitute a Judicial Commission led by a sitting High Court judge to investigate these incidents thoroughly. The party also demanded proper compensation, rehabilitation, and security arrangements for the surviving families of victims.

Citing historical references, Pal argued that the ancestors of tribal communities migrated to Tripura from present Myanmar around 5th century BC due to famine. In contrast, he stated that Bengalis have always been natives of the region, with their roots in India.

“Bengalis are the real sons of this soil, but today, they are being labelled as outsiders in their land”, he remarked. He issued a warning against any attempt to disrupt the unity of tribals and Bengalis in the state, saying that continued insult of Bengalis under the pretext of ‘outsiders’ would no longer be tolerated.

Team Maverick