Royal scion in Tripura launches 'apolitical' outfit to protect

Amid public outcry over the citizenship law, former state Congress chief and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarman has announced the formation of a new 'apolitical organization' -- The Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) - aimed at "protecting the rights of tribal communities" in Tripura.

He contended that the organization would launch a "peaceful movement" on January 8 against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA).

A new page created on Facebook by TIPRA on Tuesday welcomed people to join the organization.

"Our aim is to uphold the rights and identity of our people. Bubagra (king) Pradyot Manikya is the chairman of this organisation and everyone is welcome to join it. This is a social organisation and not a political party," it said.

Talking to reporters, Debbarman said that he had invited the leaders of tribal bodies to take part in the anti-CAA agitation.

"We think the indigenous people of the state would be badly affected if amended Citizenship Act was implemented. As part of our protest against the law, we have decided to form committees to hold protest at block and booth levels, beginning January 8," he added.

Meanwhile, Pijush Kanti Biswas, the acting president of Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), on Wednesday asserted that his party would launch a protest against BJP's "anti-people policies" during the first week of the New Year.

"If CAA and NRC are implemented, it would divide people and spoil the social fabric of the country," he told newsmen at Congress Bhavan here.