TRIPURA Rajya UpajatiGanamukti Parishad (GMP) observed the 77th formation day of Janashiksha Samityon December 27 to remember the pivotal role the organisation made in promoting literacy among the Tribal youth of Tripura. A meeting was held in Agartala Town Hall to mark the day.

The former chief minister and Polit Bureau member, Manik Sarkar said the embryo of GMP developed into the womb of Janashiksha Samity. Tribal-nontribal unity surged in the state in spite of sectarian provocations because of the GMP. He said that the Left Front government was the product of that unity instilled by the GMP. Right from the day of formation of Janashiksha Samity, the then king’s administration was hatching up conspiracies to cripple the activities of Janashiksha Samity and disrupt the unity of the major two sections of the people, i.e., tribals and non-tribals and divert the people’s attention from the noble mission of Janashiksha Samity.

Manik Sarkar said that Kirit Bikram Kishore Debbarman, the last descendant of the royal family had given birth to TUJS (Tripura Upajati Juba Samity) in his residence to create a breach in the traditional ethnic harmony among the tribals and Bengalis and alienate the communists from the tribal masses. The first motto of TUJS was “We are neither red nor white” meaning they support neither communists nor congress. They are only for tribals. In course of time, this sectarian slogan took various shapes as ‘deportation of foreigners’, ‘independent Tripura’, ‘Twipra land’, and ‘greater Tipraland’ etc., and cropped up secessionist outfits that caused havoc in the state for about two decades.  The palace which tried to eliminate Janashiksha movement in its formative days is now trying to mislead the tribal people with the slogan ‘greater Tipraland’ with an objective to alienate communists from the tribal people.

“What purpose would the ‘greater Tipraland’ serve? Will it solve the crisis of price rise, scarcity of food and work, unemployment problem? Will it prevent rampant disinvestment and privatisation of national assets, or make any improvement to the crippling health and education system in the state ?” Manik Sarkar asked. TipraMotha is in the office of the TTAADC for the last 10 months. They themselves cannot say what good did they deliver during this period. Thus, to escape accountability they are trying to divert the people’s attention with sectarian slogans.  The back is stuck to the wall. There is no scope to retreat. Thus, the need of the hour is to fight back the divisive forces, with broader unity and determination.

 Jitendra Chaudhury elaborately explained the deceptive contention of the ‘all in tribal unity’ and ‘greater Tipraland’ slogan raised by the Tipra Motha supremo who is also misleading the tribal people and creating panic among the new generation of tribal youths, intellectuals spreading falsehood that in the delimitation of Assembly seats scheduled in 2026, tribal reservation will be withdrawn and there will be no tribal reserved seat in Parliament from Tripura. We have to undertake robust responsibility to refute this falsehood and expose the impracticality of the so-called slogan of ‘greater Tipraland’. He also pleaded for vetting more power the TTAADC and passage of the 125th Constitutional Amendment for inclusion of ‘KokBorok’ language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.

Aghore Debbarma highlighted the invaluable glorious contribution of Janashiksha movement in laying down the direction of socio-economic upliftment, development of language and culture of tribal people and suggested to take a drive to make the new generation aware of the epic-making heroic Janashiksha movement. Radhaharan Debbarma general secretary of GMP central committee also addressed the gathering.  

On December 27 (11th Poush of Bengali era) 1945, several educated tribal youths led by Dasaratha Debbarma, Sudhanwa Debbarma, Hemanta Jamatia, Nilmani Debbarma and Dinesh, Debbarma etc., met in a tribal village at Durga Chowdhury Para, outskirt of Agartala town and decided to build up a literacy movement in the state to emancipate the vast masses of the tribals from the darkness of illiteracy. 

During this period the Samity was formed, there was a handful of schools mostly in the urban areas leaving vast masses in the hilly terrain under the darkness of illiteracy. The clarion call for spreading literacy made by the Samity leaders sparked a tremendous response from the indigenous masses. Within a few months, the villages themselves provided their own house to run a school or built up a new schoolhouse. They raised funds for providing food and token salary for the teachers appointed by the Samity leaders. The minor children who went to work in the Jhum fields with their parents were happy to attend school and get lessons. Within a few months, about 400 such schools were established by the villagers. The Samity leaders mounted pressure on the royal administration for recognition of these schools and took their charge management.

But, instead of appreciating this noble endeavour of the Samity leaders, the then king’s administration thought it was a lighting threat against the monarchy. The wrath and hostile attitude of the royal administration created uncompromising zeal among the Samity leaders to carry on with their mission. Alongside the literacy movement, they undertook social reform and started propaganda against superstations, dowry system, witch-hunting, untouchability, religious hostility and exploitative feudal systems prevalent at that time in the society.  More importantly, the Samity leaders had an earnest urge to maintain the unity of working people belonging both to tribals and Bengalis cutting across race and caste of society. Gunning down of three tribal women namely Kumary-Madhuti-Rupashree at Padmabill, Khowai while protesting against ‘titun system’ (Providing labour for the king without wage) has further exposed the anti-people role of the king. Ultimately, this literacy movement turned into a movement for democracy with an earnest urge for electing a ‘king’ by their choice.      

The Janashiksha day was observed in all the party offices of the state where party and GMP flags were hoisted with befitting devotion. The portraits of legendary founder leaders were given floral tribute. Jitendra Chaudhury presided over a meeting organised by the GMP in Agartala Town Hall.