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United agitation forced Tripura Govt to restore Ration service to the Brus but complication remains as Ration supply announced till November 30
TIWN Nov 7, 2019
United agitation forced Tripura Govt to restore Ration service to the Brus but complication remains as Ration supply announced till November 30
PHOTO : Brus protests, meeting with Ministers, MPs today. TIWN Photos.

AGARTALA, Nov 7 (TIWN): After united protest of Brus on road in addition of 6 starvation deaths, Govt of Tripura reinstalled the ration supplies for the Brus again. But the complications remained as the supplies will be till November 30th. The announcement was made by Deputy CM Jishnu Deb Barman in a visit with Minister Mebar Jamatia, MP Rebari Tripura, MP Pratima Bhowmik, Law Minister Ratanlal Nath. The Brus have expressed relief for now as from tomorrow their ration supplies will be resumed. The visit was made by ruling Govt members after nationwide condemnation, on Day-8 of Bru led massive road blockade followed by deaths of 6 persons and 50 hospitalized, BJP, IPFT leaders today have jointly visited the agitation spot. The Dasda-Ananda Bazar road remained blocked in Tripura in demand of food till the Deputy CM announced that their rations to be allowed from tomorrow.

On yesterday around 500 women along with their children were seen on agitation against the inhuman decision of scrapping free ration supplies. 

Such critical situation was never emerged with Brus in dispute with the Govt of Tripura. On yesterday Royal scion Pradyot Deb Barman visited the camp and demanded land allocation to the Brus and to accept them as permanent residents of here.

The BJP led State Govt continues to push the Brus whose surnames are maximum Reang to Mizoram back whereas after few families physically travelled for Mizoram experienced horrifying outcomes and unwelcoming attitude of the Mizoram Govt. The given promise was not even filled to satisfy the needs of the Brus and in this situation after 22 years of refugee like lives, the Brus have demanded to stay on the soil of Tripura as many children, youths are among them who born here. So far, no development in this matter and State Govt is not interest to hear anymore plea of the Brus, said various reports.

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.

Congress alleged it is violation of Food Security Act 2013 : 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.

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