No question of dividing Tripura: Chief minister

Tripura's Left Front government would not allow any attempt to divide the northeastern state, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said here Monday, asserting that he would resist any such move with all his might.

"A section of people are trying to split the state and to disturb the peace. The Left Front government would resist the move with its all out efforts," Sarkar said after unfurling the tricolour at the Assam Rifles ground here.

He said: "Despite the security forces best efforts and people' resistance, terrorism is yet to be curbed entirely. The militants still have camps in neighbouring Bangladesh."

The Indigenous People's Front of Tripura, a tribal-based political party, has been demanding a separate state to be carved out of Tripura, by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

The TTAADC was formed by amending the Constitution in 1985 for the socio-economic development of the tribals, who constitute one third of Tripura's 3.7 million population.

Sarkar, who holds the home portfolio, said that the state government has successfully tamed the over 40-year-old terrorism problem in the state but some people are trying to revive militancy for narrow political interests.

"Dreams of our freedom fighters is yet to be fulfilled due to the erroneous policies and flawed implementation of the government's policies," he added.

Sarkar hoisted the national flag at the main Republic Day function at the Assam Rifles ground here as there is no permanent governor in Tripura. Nagaland governor Padmanabha Balakrishna Acharya is holding additional charge of Tripura along with Assam.

The Republic Day was celebrated across Tripura with numerous functions and programmes, including sports events.