AT the call of the CPI(M) Tripura state committee, a month long extensive campaign programme was launched from February last week to March end this year on the following 5-point charter of demands.

1.                 Provide 200 days work per year in MNREGA scheme. Introduce similar scheme in town areas for urban poor.

2.                 Immediately fill up the posts lying vacant in central government offices and raise cut off age for employment to 40 years.

3.                  Distribute 14 essential goods at subsidised rate through public distribution system.

4.                 Provide necessary funds to the state government for procurement of paddy at a profitable price from the farmers.

5.                 Central government must roll back the decision to abandon SC/ST Sub-Plan allocation. 

It was decided, at least one rally would be organised in each of the local committee areas. More than 500 rallies were chalked out, out of which 458 rallies were held all over the state. Some of the rallies were disrupted due to rain and storm and they have been rescheduled for the first week of April. In the rallies so far held, it is estimated about 2.5 lakhs people were mobilised. The state, district and sub divisional committee members addressed the rallies. In West Tripura district, after the completion of local level rallies, the campaign culminated in a huge rally of 25,000 people in Agartala on March 31, which was addressed by Party state secretary Bijan Dhar, Central Committee member Aghore Debbarma and district secretary Pabitra Kar. 

Two lakh leaflets were printed and distributed. The leaflets while elaborating the 5-point demands, also exposed anti-people role of the opposition parties who are trying to create communal and ethnic unrest and stall innumerable development schemes that are in progress in the state.

Apart from the five-point demands which were highlighted in the rallies, other issues focussed by the speakers were: the nefarious drive of the RSS, BJP and their sister organisations to spread communal hatred to divide the people on religious lines and above all to break the prevalent peaceful atmosphere. They also referred to the central government’s drastic curtailment of allocation for the MNREGA scheme for the state which is awarded for the best performance in the country for several years and imposition of economic blockade against state government. The speakers also condemned and refuted the wild charges that are made by the central ministers while visiting the state about non-submission of utilisation certificates and corruption etc without verifying with the state government.

The speakers appealed to the masses to remain alert and boldly stand against any attempt of the parochial forces to create communal and ethnic passions in the state. Ethnic and communal harmony is the unique tradition of the state which must be protected at any cost, the speakers appealed.

In the midst of the month-long campaign on 5-point charter of demands, 4261 persons from 1423 families, disillusioned with opposition parties, have joined the Left camp.