Militancy-hit people in Tripura threaten stir

Militancy-hit people on Thursday threatened to organise a massive stir in Tripura if the state government did not rehabilitate them properly.

Over 3,000 internally displaced people, including women, organised a rally here on Wednesday under the banner of the Udbastu Unayan Committee (Displaced People Development Committee).

Udbastu Unayan Committee (UDC) president Sajal Poddar said on Thursday: "If our three-point demands are not fulfilled by the Left Front government, thousands of militancy affected people would organise massive movements across the state."

"In between 1998 and 2000, when terrorist violence was at its peak in Tripura, the displaced people were attacked by the militants several times... forcing them to desert their ancestral homes and lands for safer places," Poddar told reporters.

"The state government has been providing government jobs, economic rehabilitation and other support to the surrendered militants, then why should we be deprived despite being enormously affected by the terrorists," Poddar asked.

The UDC demands include government support to the displaced families, rehabilitation of these displaced people and a grant of Rs.5 lakh for each affected family.

State government officials remained non-committal about these demands.