BJP to protest against eviction of tribals in Tripura

The BJP on Tuesday said it would soon launch a stir if Tripura's Left Front government evicted tribals to set up a firing range for a paramilitary force in the state.

"We would launch an indefinite 'satyagraha' (non-violent resistance) soon if the Left Front government evicts tribal families to set up a firing range for Assam Rifles," BJP's Tripura unit president Sudhindra Dasgupta told reporters.

He cited government documents and said the state government has decided to evict around 12,000 tribals comprising 3,200 families at Longtharai Valley mountainous areas.

He said the tribals have been living in 32 hamlets there for more than 100 years.

"We have written letters to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Rajnath Singh and central party leaders seeking their immediate intervention in this regard," Dasgupta said.

He said the tribals were provided "patta" (title deeds) and allotted forest lands under the forest rights act.

Dasgupta recalled how after a national convention in New Delhi recently, a delegation of CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) led by party's politburo member Brinda Karat met President Pranab Mukherjee, demanding not to acquire lands without the consent of the locals.

"Unfortunately, the CPI-M led state government in Tripura is acting against the policy of its own party's central unit," he said.