HT Correspondent
AGARTALA, Sept 24: The surrender of 584 insurgents from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) on Tuesday marked a significant milestone towards peace in Tripura.
Tripura chief minister, Prof. Dr. Manik Saha, who welcomed the returnees at an event said the state, once a hotspot of insurgency movement, is now free from the issue.
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The arms-laying ceremony took place at the Headquarters of the 7th Battalion of the Tripura State Rifles, located at Jampuijala in Sepahijala District.
This event followed the peace accord signed between the Government of India, the Government of Tripura, the NLFT, and the ATTF in the presence of home minister Amit Shah and chief minister Dr. Manik Saha in New Delhi on September 4.
On this day Biswa Mohan Debbarma, president of NLFT (BM), Parimal Debbarma, president NLFT (PD), Prasenjit Debbarma, president, NLFT (ORI) and Alindra Debbarma, president, ATTF, surrenders AK Series Rifles before the chief minister.
Addressing the event, Dr Saha said that the arms-laying ceremony was a result of the peace accord, which marked a significant milestone in Tripura’s journey toward peace.
“When Narendra Modi took charge as Prime Minister of India, he consistently emphasized that the development of the country is impossible without the development of the Northeast. We can see that the Northeast, which was once grappling with terrorism, is now almost free from it, with around 12 peace accords having been signed, three of which pertain to Tripura. Without peace in the state and the country, development is not possible. From today, we can say that Tripura is now free from insurgency. Both the State and Central governments have implemented a series of schemes for the development of the Janajati people,” Dr Saha said.
Dr Saha, who also holds the Home portfolio, emphasized that problems cannot be resolved through hatred.
“I welcome those who have lived difficult lives and have now joined the mainstream today,” he added.
The event was attended by Tripura DGP Amitabh Ranjan, DGP (Intelligence) Anurag, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Home Secretary PK Chakraborty, Sepahijala District Magistrate Siddhart Shiv Jaiswal, and others.
In the wake of the development for peace and reconciliation in Tripura, the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) have agreed to reintegrate into mainstream society following seven months of negotiations with the Central and Tripura governments, as announced by Biswa Mohan Debbarma, a prominent insurgent leader.
During a press conference, Debbarma, the self-proclaimed president of the NLFT (BM), expressed appreciation for the support received from home minister Amit Shah, the Tripura government, and various security agencies that facilitated the homecoming ceremony.
He stated, “We are celebrating our return home following the accord signed on September 4. I extend my gratitude to Home Minister Amit Shah, the Tripura government, and state agencies, including the Tripura Police, BSF, and Tripura State Rifles. We are pleased to rejoin society, but much work lies ahead as we embark on this new journey. We have various programs planned, and we are committed to moving forward in peace.”Debbarma also mentioned that a total of four factions had agreed to join the mainstream after extensive discussions. He noted, “Together with my Vice President Jackob Hrangkhawl, the Chief of Army Staff, and the Defence Secretary, I represent these four groups. From the NLFT, 380 members are present today, though the turnout is lower than expected due to the ceremony. After a thorough meeting, our leadership opted to engage in dialogue. The Government of India welcomed our decision, and our discussions were productive over the past seven months. Today marks a day of celebration for us.”
