Politics / Tripura

AGARTALA, March 6: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has sought Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's intervention in the controversy arising out of the withdrawal of central Excise duty exemption for setting up industries in the Northeast. A section of local entrepreneurs alleged that tax benefits were being cornered by unscrupulous investors from outside the state. Official sources here said during his visit to Guwahati on December 24, 1997 the then Prime Minister Inder Kumar Gujral had announced an incentive package for setting up industries in the Northeast. The Union finance ministry...

AGARTALA, March 6: Contract killers and organised gangs of criminals have made inroads into the Tripura capital, compounding the law and order situation in the insurgency-ravaged state. Over the past year, four persons have been shot dead by contract killers in Agartala. Congress legislator Madhusudan Saha, alias Bhola, was one of the victims. He was killed in the heart of the town on February 20. Agartala's proximity with Bangladesh is one of the reasons why its crime rate is high. Goons active here cross over to Bangladesh whenever the police launch a drive against smuggling and other crimes...

HAILAKANDI, March 3: The Bru National Liberation Front (BNLF), a militant outfit of Reang (Bru) communities, has asked the Mizoram government to initiate peace parleys with it by declaring a ceasefire in the state. The BNLF has been demanding the creation of a Bru homeland within the State of Mizoram. The organising secretary of the outfit, S Bru through a press statement also warned that if the authorities concerned fail to respond positively to its demand, the organisation may be forced to carry out subversive activities in and around Mizoram. The BNLF leader further said that the onus of...

AGARTALA, March 2: The five-day deadlock over proceedings in Tripura Assembly showed signs of ending today as Speaker Jiten Sarkar withdrew the suspension order slapped on three Congress legislators for unruly conduct in the House yesterday. The Congress has been demanding that inspector-general of police (intelligence) Kishore Jha be reprimanded for his alleged misconduct with Congress MLAs in the House on February 23. Yesterday, three MLAs, Sudip Roy Barman, Ratan Lal Nath and Dipak Roy, were suspended after they accused the Speaker of being "chieftain of dacoits" and threw potatoes and...

AGARTALA, March 2: A breakthrough in the six-day-long stand-off in the budget session of Tripura Assembly could be achieved today following an all-party meeting. The meeting decided to withdraw the suspension of three Congress MLAs Ratan Lal Nath, Sudip Roy Barman and Dipak Roy while the Opposition Congress will allow the House to proceed. The Opposition party which stalled the first five days of Assembly business demanding apology from IGP, Kishore Jha, for his alleged 'abuse and assault' on the Congress members, has agreed to 'forgive and forget' the IGP issue. As per all party resolution...

AGARTALA, February 26: Concerned at the relentless onslaughts on Hindu activists and institutions by the NLFT militants, the VHP and other Sangh Parivar members have decided to chalk out a comprehensive strategy to counter the menace. It is organising a Sanatan Dharma Sammelan on March 8 at Astabal where top religious leaders of the country are expected to be present. Among the prominent leaders expected to be present during the sammelan are the VHP international president Ashok Singhal; Mathadhish of Gorkshanath Math, Gorkahpur; Mahanta Avaidyanth and Mathadhish Paramartha of the Sadhak...

AGARTALA, February 23: At least nine Congress MLAs and 33 security personnel were injured after a pitched battle broke out between them on the opening day of the 21-day budget session of the Tripura Assembly here today, reports UNI. At least nine opposition Congress MLAs and 33 watch-and-ward staff and security personnel, including an Inspector General, a Deputy Inspector General and two Superintendent of Police, were injured in the 30-minute scuffle. Trouble began as soon as the Governor entered the floor of the Assembly to give his customary speech. There was complete bedlam as opposition...

AGARTALA, February 22: Life was crippled in Tripura today following a 48-hour bandh called by the Congress protesting against the killing of party MLA, Madhu Sudhan Saha, here on February 20, report agencies. The Congress also demanded the resignation of the Left Front ministry and a CBI inquiry into the murder. Shops, business establishments, schools, educational institutions, government offices and banks remained closed, while vehicles went off the roads. Security measures had been tightened in view of the bandh. According to the latest reports reaching the police headquarters, no untoward...

AGARTALA, February 22: The outlawed National Liberation Front of Twipra has admitted that its policy of forced conversion of Hindu tribals to Christianity had backfired. The outfit also blamed a former advisor for its religious policy. The admission came in the form of a statement faxed to a local daily, which said religious insurgency had created rumblings of dissent among NLFT cadre. This also resulted in "senior commander" Nayanbasi Jamatya deserting the outfit along with a few followers. In the statement issued yesterday, NLFT's "information secretary" M.R. Tuijang blamed its political...

AIZAWL, February 20: The repatriation of Bru refugees from Tripura would begin after the activists of National Liberation Front (BNLF) come overground and lay down their arms, Mizoram Home Minister Tawnluia said. The State Government was ready for return of all the refugees, sheltered in Tripura camps, who were bonafide residents of Mizoram but the Bru rebel groups would have to lay down arms and return to normal lives first, an official release quoted Tawnluia as saying so on Friday. Leaders of the Bru Welfare Committee met the Minister on Friday and apprised Tawnluia of the miseries and...