• Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura 

Agartala, July 05, 2022 : The Pre-98 Returnees organizations in Tripura under the banner of the Joint Action Committee (JAC) and Joint Action Rehabilitation Committee (JARC) called for road block agitation from 6 AM of July 11 next for sine die at Khamting Para in Baramura under West Tripura district.

In a press conference at Agartala Press Club on Tuesday noon, Pre-98 Returnees JAC general secretary Shailen Kumar Bru said that they will hold blockade of national highway on July 11 for an indefinite period until and unless their demands are not assured to be met up on July 08 next by the government officials.

The Pre-98 Returnees organizations had submitted a memorandum addressing Tripura’s Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on July 04 last. “The memorandum mentioned that they sought time on June 17 last from the Tribal Welfare minister to meet within 15 days. But the minister did not respond, nor allowed them to meet with him or officials. In this way, we are becoming pessimistic and we are compelled to perform our said movement on July 11 next on three demands”, he added.

Shailen alleged that the state government had failed to keep their commitments. “Although, the Tribal Welfare minister Rampada Jamatia called us at 10 AM on Tuesday morning and told us to meet with him at the Civil Secretariat. Accordingly, we met with him at his official chamber. He told us that all the officials of the line departments will hold a meeting with us on July 08 next and listen to our demands. If we find that the demands are not met. Then we will be bound to hold a national highway blockade for an indefinite period at Khamting Para in Baramura on July 11 next from 6 AM onwards”, he added.

The demands of the Pre-98 Returnees are- Power Tiller and Piggery-Goattery Schemes, allocation of houses under PMAY-Gramin and withdrawing of pending cases.