Tripura's Tribal areas likely to be exempted from CAB

Agartala, December 6, 2019:

It has come to light that the areas covering the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTADC) will be excluded from the purview of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. This development was confirmed by Tripura's indigenous people's leader, Pradyot Manikya.

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Taking to Facebook earlier today, Manikya stated that he was informed that the TTADC area would be excluded from the CAB via a phone call. Pradyot stated that he got an early morning call at 6:30 am from negotiators close from the Home Minister's office "more or less confirming that all areas covering the TTADC (6th schedule areas) from Tripura will be exempted from this Bill."

Manikya also remained hopeful that further 'good news' awaits the people of the region. "We have negotiated hard with the Govt of India and I am hopeful that if we stay united something better will come up, we will not compromise on the CAB", Manikya stated.

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It may be mentioned here that there has been massive outcry against the Bill in all the Northeast Indian, with the pushback in Tripura gaining extra steam yesterday with the blockade of roads and railways by indigenous tribal people.

Early in the morning on Thursday, supporters and workers of the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) blocked the national highway at Khamting Bari area of Jirania Sub-division. Later, supporters of the party also squatted on the railway line, effectively ceasing operations along the route. INPT supporters sat on the railway line and staged a demonstration with flags, and banners.

It may be mentioned here that many student bodies and indigenous organizations across the Northeast are constantly staging protests against the proposed Bill, which seeks to give citizenship to non-Muslim migrants from neighboring countries on the grounds of “religious persecution.”

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