Agartala, September 29 (TIWN): A delegation of the Tripura Upajati Gana Mukti Parishad met Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and submitted a deputation on 20-point demands today as a part of the continued agenda of the indigenous forum since its last central conference in November, 2013.

Speaking to reporters after submitting the deputation, GMP general secretary Niranjan Debbarma said, “We have demanded provision of land to all the landless and homeless families, revision of the MGNREGA guidelines to cover agricultural operations in the ambit of the housing scheme, allocation of central fund for rehabilitation of the tribal families allotted land under the Forest Rights Act, institution of a universal rationing system with 35 kg rice or wheat per family per month at Rs 2 per kg among other demands”.

 The forum demanded inclusion of Kokborok language in the eighth schedule of the Constitution as well.

A delegation of the Gana Mukti Parishad is scheduled to meet members of the union cabinet in a visit to Delhi in November this year”, he said

Asked about his take on the demand of separate statehood under the name of Twipraland, Niranjan Debbarma said that US spy agency CIA was active behind fomenting the demand of a separate Twipraland from inside Tripura.

“People who made Operation Brahmaputra in 1978 are now into operation Twipraland. This is a serious problem, just like the one they made at Christianization of people in the region”, they said.

Reacting to the issue, Tripura Pradesh Congress working president Ashish Kumar Saha said that statements hurting religious communities like CPI (M) did to the Christian community was a very bad precedent and instances of communal intolerance. He sought legal action against the party for passing such sporadic statements.

PCC general secretary Pradyot Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma reacted to the statements from GMP, which came as straight copies from the CPI (M) statements made earlier as cheap politics. “If CPI (M) knows something specific about involvement of CIA in the demand of Twipraland, CPI (M) then should raise the matter for the MHA and ask for the US ambassador to come out clear on the same”, he said.

“These are not issues to be spoken in Agartala. They should speak with the central government and urge the Prime Minister to raise the issue with the US government while he is away at the US”, Pradyot Manikya said.