AGARTALA: The Tripura Pradesh Congress Adivasi Committee, representing the indigenous faction of the Tripura unit of the Congress party, met with state chief secretary Jitendra Kumar Sinha, urging him to prevent the implementation of the citizenship amendment act (CAA) in Tripura.
The Adivasi Committee of the Congress party stressed on the need to safeguard the interests of the indigenous population of Tripura.
In a detailed memorandum, the committee highlighted the historical context of Tripura, a state that shares borders with Bangladesh on three sides.
They emphasized that Tripura, once a princely state with a tribal majority, has seen its indigenous population dwindle to a minority due to continuous immigration from erstwhile East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
“Being a minority in one’s own land creates a profound sense of deprivation among Tripura’s indigenous people,” the memorandum stated.
“Prior to the CAA’s passage in 2019, the cut-off year for obtaining Indian citizenship was 1971. Thus, any foreigner entering Tripura from Bangladesh after 1971 was ineligible for Indian citizenship, providing a sense of security to the indigenous population that further infiltration would not exacerbate their minority status.”
The Committee expressed concern that the CAA, which extends the cut-off year to December 31, 2014, would allow foreigners from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who entered India by that date to obtain citizenship if they faced religious persecution.
“This Act could open the floodgates, potentially altering Tripura’s demographic composition,” the memorandum stated.
“Although Section 6B of the CAA exempts areas under the 6th Schedule of the Constitution, this is insufficient protection, as foreigners could settle in non-Autonomous District Council (ADC) areas first. Once they acquire citizenship, they could freely move to any part of Tripura, including the TTAADC. An influx of foreigners would impose additional economic and social burdens on the state’s population.”
The Committee concluded by urging the Tripura chief secretary to take decisive action to prevent the CAA’s implementation in Tripura, thereby protecting the indigenous community and the broader state population.
“We trust you will take appropriate steps to ensure the CAA 2019 is not implemented in Tripura,” they added.
The appeal underscores the ongoing concerns among Tripura’s indigenous population regarding the potential demographic and socio-economic impacts of the CAA, advocating for measures to preserve their rights and cultural heritage.