Latest news with #Bihar-style
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore wants special monitoring team in TTAADC to identify illegal immigrants
Two days after a Tipra Motha delegation met officials of the Election Commission (EC) in New Delhi and demanded a Bihar-style Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tripura, the supremo of the tribal party, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, Friday said he has asked the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to form a special monitoring committee to identify illegal immigrants staying in the jurisdiction of the tribal council. The Tipra Motha has been in power in the TTAADC since 2021, having won 18 of the 28 seats in the Council. Pradyot Kishore wrote on X, 'I have requested the TTAADC to constitute a monitoring committee across all party lines to detect illegal immigrants who are illegally entering the TTAADC areas at the earliest. We should take this matter as many illegal people from Assam are being evicted and may enter neighbouring states. This committee should work not as political entities but as the protector of our rights.' I have requested the TTAADC to constitute a monitoring committee across all party lines to detect illegal immigrants who are illegally entering the TTAADC areas at the earliest . We should take this matter as many illegal people from Assam are being evicted and may enter… — Pradyot_Tripura (@PradyotManikya) July 25, 2025 A week ago, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led state government formed Special Task Forces in each district to identify and deport illegal immigrants. Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha said the task forces have been asked to identify illegal immigrants who came to India after December 2014. However, sources within ally Tipra Motha said they will most likely push for 1971 to be accepted as the cut-off year, as per the Indira-Mujib Pact. Meanwhile, the Tipra Motha delegation that met with EC officials also met BJP chief J P Nadda on Thursday. It has been learnt that the delegation discussed the 'pressing need to implement the Special Intensive Revision of the electoral roll in Tripura' and expedite the implementation of the 2024 tripartite Tiprasa Accord, which promised to find an amicable solution to problems faced by tribals in Tripura.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
TIPRA Motha meets EC officials, seeks special intensive revision; Pradyot says Tripura will otherwise ‘become Assam before long'
Amid calls to detect, identify and deport illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Rohingya people, the TIPRA Motha on Wednesday met officials of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi to push for a Bihar-style special intensive revision of the electoral rolls in Tripura. TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma wrote on X, 'Today the TIPRA Motha delegation met the ECI officials at Delhi to press for an implementation of Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Tripura. Illegal migration is affecting our state and northeast and today if we don't identify illegal voters there will be no tomorrow for our next generation. The good news is that the ECI has assured the delegation that SIR will be conducted across the country including Tripura'. Pradyot went live on social media later in the evening and said, 'I am not against citizens of any religion. My single thought is that if illegal people from Bangladesh or Myanmar keep on coming to Tripura and become legal Indians, get Aadhar card, become MLAs even, get government facilities, whose loss is it? When we became a part of India, we didn't become a part of Bangladesh. I went to ECI and asked them not to disturb genuine people but identify those who changed names and entered India. They will take the jobs of the children of all of us, create a national security issue, and if it doesn't stop, Tripura will become Assam before long.' In a letter addressed to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, the TIPRA Motha delegation, headed by Pradyot, said Tripura's demographic composition had undergone significant shifts over the past several decades, raising apprehensions among the indigenous population and other vulnerable communities about the erosion of their political and cultural rights. The move comes a week after the BJP-led government formed special task forces in districts to identify and deport illegal immigrants. Chief Minister Manik Saha has said the drive will apply only to those who entered India after December 2014, since those who came before that would be recognised as per the Citizenship Amendment Act. The TIPRA Motha, an ally of the BJP, has not mentioned any cut-off date for its demand. Sources within the tribal party say they are most likely pushing for 1971, which was the cut-off year as per the Indira Mujib Pact for Indian citizenship for people who came from the erstwhile East Pakistan. Drawing the commission's attention to Tripura's 856-km-long border with Bangladesh, much of which remains porous and inadequately fenced, the TIPRA Motha delegation said that the state was faced with a 'serious challenge' in monitoring and preventing illegal immigration. 'The unchecked influx of undocumented immigrants has not only disrupted the socio-economic balance of the region but has also led to the dilution of electoral rolls, threatening the democratic rights of the indigenous tribal communities and undermining electoral fairness. In particular, it is now an open secret that many illegal immigrants have obtained EPIC, Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, driving licenses, and even passports, often by fraudulent means and with the assistance of corrupt officials, local brokers, and political strongmen. In some cases, they have even managed to shift their Register of Residence (RoR) records from one place to another for electoral advantage. This is no longer just a Tripura-specific issue, it is a matter of national security, with serious implications for the democratic fabric of the country,' the party wrote to the ECI. The Motha delegation also cited an incident from September 2012 where around 1,48,000 illegal voters were identified in Tripura. Although the then Election Commissioner Vinod Saxena directed authorities to rectify the electoral rolls, the directives were never acted upon, and the anomalies have continued unchecked, according to the delegation. The delegation also cited Census data from 1971 to 1991 to argue that Tripura had experienced a rate of population growth far above the national average during that period. 'The pattern continues to this day and is visible in various demographic and electoral indicators,' its letter read. Stating that their concerns were not 'statistical or bureaucratic', the TIPRA Motha said integrity of electoral rolls in Tripura is directly tied to the fairness of representation in Scheduled Tribe-reserved constituencies. The tribal party also claimed the very purpose of reservation for tribal communities was being undermined and that the indigenous population was being further marginalised in both governance and policy-making. Expressing concerns about the 'risk of political misuse' of 'flawed' electoral rolls, the delegation urged the ECI to conduct a Bihar-style special intensive revision by using trained personnel independent of local political and administrative influence. Pradyot further said that 52 lakh people had been excluded as per Bihar's special intensive revision and that Tripura should not become the next West Bengal, where the BJP accuses the ruling Trinamool Congress of being soft on illegal immigration from Bangladesh in order to appease its Muslim voters. The Trinamool Congress has alleged that while the special intensive revision is being conducted in Bihar, the 'real target' is West Bengal, where the saffron party has not been able to come to power. The Trinamool Congress had also criticised the National Register of Citizens exercise in Assam.
Indian Express
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
STFs created to identify infiltration since 2014, minimal illegal immigration reported so far in Tripura: CM Manik Saha
As Special Task Forces (STF) are being established across Tripura to detect, identify, and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya people, Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, who also serves as the home minister, said Sunday that some people are attempting to create confusion regarding this initiative. He stated that the purpose of these STFs is to investigate whether there has been any infiltration since 2014 or if there have been any recent cases of illegal immigration. Speaking to reporters after attending an event at Agartala, CM Saha said, 'The Government of India will recognise those who came to India from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, etc, before December 2014 due to religious persecution, those who come after that will not be. Many people try to spread confusion over this. That is why the Tripura government and Police have formed task forces to find out if there is any such illegal infiltration or anyone who came after 2014, or if there are any recent cases of infiltration.' His comments come shortly after a similar statement Saturday, where he announced that while an STF was formed at West Tripura district on July 15, identical task forces are being formed across all eight districts of the state to detect, identify and deport illegal Bangladeshi immigrants and Rohingya people. CM Saha said that STFs are being established to combat illegal immigration along the 856 km-long Indo-Bangladesh border in Tripura. He also reassured the public that only a minimal number of illegal immigrants have entered Tripura so far. The state government's action follows a demand from Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, the leader of the ruling alliance partner TIPRA Motha, for strict measures against illegal immigrants. He has travelled to New Delhi, where he will lead a delegation of ministers, MLAs, and members of the Tripura Autonomous District Council (ADC) to meet with the Election Commission of India (ECI) on July 23. In a post on X, he said, 'My only answer to all those who continue to criticise us – at least we are trying to protect our next generation and looking beyond party politics. This is not just a fight of the TIPRA Motha Party, but every Indian. Please rise above party politics and unite against illegal migration.' The Election Commission invitation came just days after Pradyot Kishore demanded the introduction of a Bihar-style Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in Tripura and the entire Northeast. He alleged that in many areas, people were given Aadhaar cards illegally, taking advantage of corruption among government officials. Senior TIPRA Motha leader and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma, who is also supposed to be a part of the delegation to meet the ECI, confirmed that the delegation comprising nine members headed by party founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma will meet the ECI next week. TIPRA Motha legislator Ranjit Debbarma said that though the BJP-ruled states like Assam and Gujarat had adopted strong steps against illegal immigrants, the Tripura government is yet to take a step on the issue.
Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
9-member Tipra Motha delegation to meet EC officials in New Delhi, raise issue of illegal immigration from Bangladesh
Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma Saturday announced that the Election Commission (EC) has invited a delegation of his party to New Delhi to discuss the issue of illegal migration from Bangladesh. In a post on X, Pradyot Kishore said, 'After continuous uproar and media attention from all of us from TIPRA Motha, the Election Commission of India has invited us to discuss the matter of illegal migration from Bangladesh to India on the 23rd of July…' He also said, 'My only answer to all those who continue to criticise us – at least we are trying to protect our next generation and looking beyond party politics. This is not just a fight of the TIPRA Motha Party but every Indian. Please rise above party politics and unite against illegal migration.' A Tipra Motha spokesperson announced that the party would send a nine-member team headed by Pradyot Kishore to meet EC officials. The other members of the team are Minister Animesh Debbarma, Minister of State Brishaketu Debbarma, Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Chairman Jagadish Debbarma, TTAADC Chief Executive Member Purna Chandra Jamatia, and MLAs Ranjit Debbarma, Pathan Lal Jamatia, Philip Kumar Reang, and Sadagar Kalai. Tipra Motha legislator Ranjit Debbarma had recently said that though BJP-ruled states like Assam and Gujarat have adopted strong steps against illegal immigrants, the Tripura government was yet to do so. The EC invite also comes just days after Pradyot Kishore demanded a Bihar-style Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Tripura, alleging that scores of Bangladeshis have procured Aadhaar cards illegally in the northeastern state in connivance with corrupt government officials. Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the state government has decided to form a task force in each district to detect and deport illegal migrants. Each task force would be headed by a senior police officer, while officers-in-charge of different police stations of the district concerned would be members. Earlier in the month, such a task force was formed only in the West Tripura district.
Hans India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
EC working in favour of BJP in Bihar: CPM
Vijayawada: CPM Politburo Member BV Raghavulu alleged that the Election Commission (EC) is acting in favour of the BJP by initiating a covert citizenship identification process in the name of voter registration in Bihar. He stated that even while the matter is under consideration by the Supreme Court, the EC has written to other states recommending the implementation of similar processes which are implemented in Bihar. The CPM national leader has demanded for an immediate halt to such actions. Addressing the media at the Balotsavam Bhavan here on Monday, Raghavulu questioned how the EC could announce thatits Special Investigation Report (SIR) in Bihar identified people from Nepal, Bangladesh, and a citizenship identification initiative under the guise of voter registration is inappropriate, said the CPM leader. The Supreme Court had advised using Aadhaar, ration cards, and previous voter rolls to identify voters but the EC is disregarding these guidelines. He warned that by pushing for a Bihar-style SIR in all states even before the Supreme Court's next hearing on July 28, the EC is compromising its neutrality and aligning itself with BJP interests. Other official institutions exist for citizenship matters, and the EC's interference in this domain is unconstitutional, said Raghavulu. Such haste, without reviewing Bihar's experience or awaiting a court ruling, could destroy public trust in constitutional systems, said the CPM leader. The CPM state secretary V Srinivasa Rao stated that farmers in Karidedu are resisting land acquisition for the IndoSol project, cutting across party lines. He alleged that a TDP MLA is trying to divide this resistance and warned the government that forcibly acquiring land without public consent will face backlash. He criticised the government for acquiring land in agency areas for pumped storage power projects without consulting local Gram Sabhas. Over 1.6 lakh acres have already been acquired in the name of development. Many of these remain unused—such as 6,000 acres in Krishnapatnam, 2,500 acres in Prakasam for NIMZ, and 20,000 acres in Donakonda. In Kakinada SEZ, 10,000 acres lie vacant. He questioned whether the real intent is development or mere land grabbing.
