Massive Protests In Tripura Under Royal Scion Against Citizenship Bill

The BJP led government in Tripura is facing massive protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill with most of the regional tribal political parties in the state uniting across party line under the leadership of the Royal scion and working President of Congress in Tripura, Pradyot Manikya Deb Burman.

On Wednesday, a massive protest rally was organized at Khumulwng, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous Territorial Council.

Adding teeth to the agitation, Tripura United Indigenous People's Council (TUIPC), a joint body of 48 returnee insurgent organisations in the state, has also joined the protests.  

"Entire Tripura is against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. This doesn't have to do anything with religion, community or any other identity. This vote bank politics is being played by the (central) government at Delhi. This bill will divide our society," Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya told a massive gathering of 15,000 people at Khumulwng Motorstand Wednesday afternoon.

Calling it a non-political rally without banners or flags, he said this is not a fight of any particular community and that everyone will fight together.

Protesters garlanded PM Narendra Modi's effigy with shoes.

Earlier this month, tribal groups in Tripura had called a 12-hour bandh protesting against the bill. Parties led by BJP ally, Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), had also demanded the resignation Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb after six youth were injured in a police firing.