AGARTALA, Nov 6 (TIWN): By stopping ration to Brus, the State Govt has committed legal offence and also violated the Human Rights, Congress national leader Jairam Ramesh told media here on Tuesday. The Congress leader has demanded strict action against the Officers who have been involved in this illegal activity including Chief Minister by cutting supply of rations. “Ofcourse the officers have committed legal mistakes, but we believe without Chief Minister’s order, they have not done so. This is not just a matter of illegal action against innocents but too the violation of Human Rights and Food Safety Act 2013, which was introduced by UPA Govt and all political parties in 2013 supported the bill.

Even BJP too supported but the then Gujarat CM Narendra Modi did not support it but later taking U-turn he supported it after he became Prime Minister in 2014. Amid PM's support, how after 6 years, people in Tripura, including children are dying in starvation ? 

Also the Brus are Indians. They are not outsiders”, said Jairam Ramesh at Tripura Congress headquarter. 

The National Food Security Act, 2013 (also Right to Food Act) is an Act of the Parliament of India which aims to provide subsidized food grains to approximately two thirds of India's 1.2 billion people. It was signed into law on 12 September 2013, retroactive to 5 July 2013. The National Food Security Act, 2013 (NFSA 2013) converts into legal entitlements for existing food security programmes of the Government of India. 

It includes the Midday Meal Scheme, Integrated Child Development Services scheme and the Public Distribution System. Further, the NFSA 2013 recognizes maternity entitlements. The Midday Meal Scheme and the Integrated Child Development Services Scheme are universal in nature whereas the PDS will reach about two-thirds of the population (75% in rural areas and 50% in urban areas).

Under the provisions of the bill, beneficiaries of the Public Distribution System (or, PDS) are entitled to 5 kilograms (11 lb) per person per month of cereals at the following prices:

Rice at ?3 (4.3¢ US) per kg

Wheat at ?2 (2.9¢ US) per kg

Coarse grains (millet) at ?1 (1.4¢ US) per kg.

Pregnant women, lactating mothers, and certain categories of children are eligible for daily free cereals.

According to PTI report, an organisation of Bru refugees living in Tripura claimed that a four-month-old baby died in a relief camp on Monday taking the total number of people losing their lives “because of starvation” to six and three other inmates have been hospitalised.

The displaced people continued with their road blockade for the fifth day demanding resumption of free ration and cash-dole to them, which the Centre has stopped since October following commencement of the repatriation of the refugees to their homeland Mizoram.

They also said free rations and cash-dole will not be resumed as per the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

“Six people died and three persons were hospitalised due to deprivation of free ration and cash-dole by the Centre from October due to the ongoing repatriation scheduled to be concluded on November 30,” Mizoram Bru Displaced People’s Forum (MBDPF) said.

What the Bru want ?

After residing in Tripura for long 22 years, the Brus / Reang Community now wants to stay in Tripura only as Mizoram is becoming a land of suffocation for them, without any safety-assurance.Bru leaders said today, these Bru community’s people also belong to Tripura because during Dumboor hydro projects many became landless and went to Mizoram and from Mizoram they came to Tripura, because they know this place.Also they asked, if Chakma community’s people came from Bangladesh after 1971 are residing here, why not the Brus ?The Brus also asked, what about those children of Brus who never visited Mizoram and born in the soil of Tripura ?“They are just suffocated of their lives as refugees in the camps. They are also Indians, why to treat them as outsiders ?”, said the Bru leader demanding Citizenships of Tripura. 

After meeting the Bru Community’s people at the agitation place, who are starving as Govt stopped rationing to the people from October month, former MP, Gana Mukti Parishad (GMP) chief Jitendra Chaudhury has slammed the Govt of Tripura, Central Govt and also the Mizoram Govt for inhumanity with the Brus.

CPI-M leaders visited Bru camps : On November 4, CPI-M top leaders former MP Jitendra Chowdhury, ADC CEM Radhacharan Debbarma visited the spot where the Reang community’s people sat on protest demanding food.Bru community people are blocking roads in Kanchanpur as food are not coming in refugee camps from Ration since October 1. It has came to know that a child of 6 and an old man of 70 years have already died out of food. 

The former MP asked, why doesn’t the Chief Minister who often rides helicopter to visit Sani puja, Kali puja has no time to visit Kanchanpur today ?

Chaudhury described how in Mizoram the Govt totally violated the given promise and has no welcoming attitudes, treating them as burdens. Also they were given the worst lands in scattered manners. No free home was given and asked to buy all items to build homes.

He also asked why the Central Ministers are not coming in Tripura now who are used to travel here in Election times.

6 people allegedly in starvation in the Bru camps where Reang people are residing for long 22 years, suddenly ratioing was stopped to them as denied to go back to Mizoram.