Talks fail as IPFT leaders reject state government’s plea, blockade tocontinue

Agartala, Jul 16, 2017 : The forty five minute talks between the state government’s seniormost officials and ten agitating IPFT leaders headed by N.C.Debbarma and Ananta Debbarma , the first of its kind since the ‘Road and Rail’ blockade programme of IPFT had begun from July 10, fell flat on the insistence of the IPFT on their demand for separate ‘Twipraland’ state. Responding to the state government’s invitation for talks to break the impasse over the IPFT’s blockade programme a group of nine IPFT leaders headed by Narenda Debbarma and Ananta Debbarma had turned up in the state secretariat and the actual meeting commenced at 12-00 PM.

The state government was represented in the talks by chief secretary Sanjib Ranjan, Home Secretary Santanu Singh , DGP A.K.Shukla, additional DGP S.S. Chaturvedi, DM (West) Milind Ramteke, IG (law and order) K.V.Sreejesh and SP (West) Abhijeet Saptarshi. In the course of the talks the officials pointed out that the state government is not agreeable to accepting the demand for ‘Twipraland’ state and urged upon the IPFT leaders to withdraw their disruptive blockade programme which is affecting normal life of the state.The government officials also pointed out that only centre could initiate a move to create a separate state and the bill in this regard needed to be passed in both parliament and state assembly, as mandated by the constitution (Article 3).

But the IPFT delegation said that they could not relent on the subject which was a popular demand of the tribal people. They also pointed out to the state government officials that two of their leaders are camping in Delhi to hold discussions with central government over the issue. ‘Until we know what transpires in Delhi we can not withdraw the agitational programme unilaterally’ said Naendra Debbarma. It was decided that two press releases on behalf of the state government as well as the IPFT would be released to apprise people of the discussion in the meeting.

Speaking to media after the meeting IPFT supremo N.C.Debbarma indicated that a fresh round of talks would be held only after they came to know what happens in Delhi. ‘Two our leaders are scheduled to meet union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Monday; unless we know what transpires in that meeting we can not take a position and hold talks with the state government’ said Narendra. He added significantly that if the state government was determined to reject the demand a tripartite meeting must be held involving centre for a solution as they also wanted an early solution to the problem.