AGARTALA, November 13 (TIWN): Lambasting the Left Front government in Tripura, Opposition Congress today said it is indifferent about tribals in the state and Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). "The government led by CPI-M is indifferent and unresponsive about the tribals and the tribal council," Opposition leader Sudip Roy Burman, said while interacting with the media persons at Congress Bhavan.

Sudip Roy Burman also demanded that TTAADC be allocated more funds and more autonomy without which it cannot function. "The tribal council area remained backward for long time. It is not acceptable that one portion of the state would be developed and the other portion would remain underdeveloped," he said. "TTAADC can itself appoint employees, but it has no funds as the state government is not allocating money to it for its proper functioning," he added. TTADC was formed in 1987 under sixth schedule of the Constitution to protect and safeguard the economic, political and cultural interests of the tribals.

The Opposition leader criticized Tripura’s Left Front government for under-development and silence in the national politics over problems of the state. “Tripura had political stability for the past 2 decades. How come poverty is still rising and development is running at such slow pace?” he asked. He slammed the state government over its industrial policies. Mr. Burman also charged the CPI-M party as well over corruption, lack of decision and action in developing the State.

Chairman of congress ST cell Bimal Chakma said most of the schools in (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council) TTAADC are running without the School teachers. The number of school teachers in the TTAADC is not sufficient at all due to which the children’s of the (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council) TTAADC are not getting proper education. The state government is also not doing anything to solve the issue. Instead of doing anything the state government is busy in playing dirty politics. At present from minister to CPIM party workers remain deep necked in corruption, Bimal said.

Our main demands are direct funding by the Centre and uniform empowerment of the tribal councils. We also demand transfer of land rights and all departments to the tribal council, including the higher education department, said Bimal Chakma. 

"We want full land rights should be given to the tribal council, otherwise proper development works could not be carried out. We also want more power and direct funding by the Centre," he said. 
The uninterrupted 21-year stint in power seems to have taken a toll on the financial transparency of the Left Front administration in Tripura. Corruption in implementation of rural development schemes continues unabated. There is a state government of Tripura eats up all the money which comes from the central government for development, he alleged.

Opposition leader Sudip Ray Burman further said that on October 5th Tripura Pradesh Congress ST Department submitted a memorandum to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh regarding nine point charter demand.

The demands are:

1. That, the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) constituted under the provision of the Sixth Schedule has failed to fulfill the aspiration of the people of the state specially that of the tribals. The TTAADC has practically no autonomy and has been converted practically into a mere department of the state government. We, therefore, raise our voice to amend the Constitution of India and the Sixth schedule thereby empowering TTAADC and the present TTAADC be known as the Tripura Areas Autonomous State Council (TTAASC).

2. That, the Kokborok language is the major second state language and it must be included in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India for the development of the Kokborok language.

3. That, we strongly oppose any attempt to de-reserve ST/SC vacant post lying under government and semi-government institutions.

4. That, we demand direct funding for TTAADC from the central government. Art. 275 of the Constitution of India intends towards the development of the scheduled areas and the tribal areas. We feel that this provision be amended and bring TTAADC within its purview. We also strongly demand that the provisions in the Art. 280 of the Constitution of India be amended and TTAADC be brought under its purview.

5. That, because of the lack of education infrastructure in tribal areas of Tripura, the minimum education qualification in respect to recruitment in military, para military and other central government departments be reduced to class 5 from class 8. This will help the tribal youths immensely to earn this livelihood and refrain them from being misled by the extremists to join them.

6. That, the benefits of various central sponsored does not reach the common people as the state is engulfed in rampant corruption. This is the reason that 67.68% of the population lives below the poverty line. We, therefore, demand special audit by the Accountant General of Tripura in central sponsored schemes.

7. That, the surrender policy as laid down by the central government is not implemented in its true spirit by the state government. We find that the surrendered extremists often sitting in dharnas and in hunger strike for implementation of the package as laid down. We, therefore, demand that a team of the Union Home Ministry asses the situation and take necessary steps in implementation of the said policy in its true sprit.

8. That, Tripura leads the country in crime against women where gang rape, rape, murder, outraging the modesty of women, dowry death etc. have now become an hour to hour incident. We, demand that the National Women Commission be instructed to play much more responsible role to deal with crime against women in Tripura.

9. That, land and fund be allocated for construction of a hundred seated hostel for ST boys and girls in New Delhi for higher studies.