MORE than 20,000 tribal youth and students marched through the streets of Agartala on September 10, to voice their stern warning against the divisive forces aiming at dividing Tripura. This vibrant and youthful rally organised by the Tribal Youth Federation (TYF) and the Tribal Students Union (TSU) raised the slogans of unity, peace and development of the state.

On August 23, IPFT – a breakaway group of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) – had organised a rally in Agartala with a few thousand people in support of their demand of creation of a separate state “Tuipraland”, comprising of the ADC area formed under the sixth schedule of the constitution. The divisive slogans of that rally and the anti-social activities in the name of procession had created an atmosphere of fear among the people. The colourful and disciplined rally of TYF and TSU was a complete contrast to that and reaffirmed the faith that the tribal youth of the state have rejected the divisive slogan and stood firm for a more developed Tripura based on an atmosphere of peace and unity.

The march was a feast for the eyes as the tribal students and youth, both men and women, wearing their traditional attire carrying flags of TYF and TSU gathered at Vivekananda Stadium. Here a short meeting was addressed by former general secretary of TYF and state forest minister Naresh Jamatia, former president of TYF and ADC executive member Radhacharan Debbarma, TYF general secretary Ranjan Debbarma, DYFI state secretary Amal Chakraborty and TSU general secretary Tapan Debbarma. The meeting was presided over by TYF president and MLA Pranab Debbarma, in the presence of former MP and chairman of AARM, Bajuban Reang.

The leaders appealed for united fight to defeat the heinous conspiracy of destroying the atmosphere of peace, unity and development in the state in the name of the division of the state. They said the slogans of independent Tripura and ‘Tuipraland’ basically originated from the same separatist outlook. Both are aimed at weakening the unity among the tribal and non-tribal masses and ultimately to doom the future of the tribal people. SFI, DYFI, TSU and TYF will fight jointly to defeat these divisive conspiracies.

After the meeting, the rally marched through the streets of Agartala. A rainbow of red, green and white seemed to flow down the streets as the march advanced, beating traditional drums and other folk music instruments, and raising slogans of unity, peace and development. The banners in front of the different parts of the march read “No separate state, we are united”, “We fight for peace, integrity and prosperity”, and “O the sun of integrity, rise in the sky”. As the march advanced, a sudden downpour drenched the city. But the spirit of the youth was not dampened as the procession braved the rains and continued its journey. People standing along the rally route greeted them. Starting from Vivekananda Stadium, the rally marched through Kaman Chowmuhoni, Surya Chowmohoni, Paradise Chowmohoni, Melarmath, Battala, Shankar Chowmohoni to culminate again at Vivekananda Stadium.