Agartala, Nov 15 (UNI) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar admitted that the left front government
of the state did not response to the appeal of former supremo of banned outfit All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) Ranjit Debbarma who wanted to join mainstream along with his wife and daughter.
Making statement on the reference made by BJP MLA Sudip Roybarman in the assembly on the arrest of Ranjit last week for his alleged anti-national speech yesterday, Sarkar said he had written letter to the Chief Minister on May 16, 2016 expressing his desire to join in normal life.
Later, July 5, 2017 Ranjit had written a similar letter of Director General of Tripura Police but none of them replied to his appeal and finally on Oct 3, 2017 he made the same appeal to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh.
While opposition member of Congress Ratan Lal Nath accused left front government of adopting dual stand in regard to bring back outlawed militants in normal life, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar stated, “I had got the letter not only from Ranjit Debbarma also from present chief of NLFT who wanted to come back in normal life but we could not do anything as central government is
authorised to take the necessary steps.”
He however, informed that the state government had taken up the matter to the notice of Union Home Ministry seeking appropriate action from it’s end and added, “We also want all the extremists should come back in normal life.”
However, Nath alleged that non-response to Ranjit Debbarma’s appeal twice had clearly indicated the intension of the left front government. “The CPI(M) had indulged him into insurgency before 1993 assembly elections and leftist came in power with the help of ATTF militants in that elections. Now when Ranjit wanted to join in normal life, CPI-M party disagreeing to it, as they wish to re-start armed militancy when leftists will not be in power,” Nath added.
Sarkar countered the allegations and said Ranjit Debbarma was arrested last week for an anti-national speech at Duski bazaar in Teliamura of Khowai in rally had organized under the banner of Tripura United Peoples’ Council (TUPC), a reorganization body of all former ATTF insurgents.
“Ranjit delivered a speech to the gathering where he tried to instigate people against Tripura’s merger with India under Regent Maharani Kanchanprabha Devi in Oct 1949, Sarkar said adding that he was charged with Section 124 (a), 153 (a), 53 (b), 120 (b) of IPC, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, and Section 82 of Tripura Police Act.
He was apprehended to hold potential to create hatred among tribal and non tribal communities. The state government got intelligence inputs that the NLFT would support Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) if the latter contested the next Assembly elections due in February next year.
Arrested by Bangladesh Police in 2012 as he was allegedly involved in a number of massacres, he was handed over to Indian authorities in January 2013. He was subsequently brought to Tripura and arrested. He got bail from a Tripura court in 2015.
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