AGARTALA, Feb 8 (TIWN): 4 Express trains, all the local trains and freight train remained paused after Tripura’s tribal regional parties joint forum announced for a 12 hrs strike. As a part of protesting against the proposed Citizenship Bill- 2016, Tripura 3 regional parties : IPFT, INPT and NCT had aligned together named 'All Tripura Indigenous Regional Parties Forum' have gone for 12 hours strike on Wednesday. But it was unexpected that the Railway service will also be paused by the parties, neither the Tripura Govt had given any prior notice about this. But all of sudden, when the passengers arrived at Rail Stations although they had tickets but the service remained paralyzed there. Railway Dept. to avoid any ethnic violence has taken the decision, said a source. The strike was called basically for ADC areas, but as the train will go via ADC areas too, thus the rail service was also halted in Tripura which connects from Udaipur to Dharmanagar.

Tripura which is directly connected to Shillong, Guwahati  has become the lifeline of the state. 

But due to the strike, the main problem is facing by the travelers who were scheduled to come here in Tripura. The passengers were informed via SMS, emails on last night, said a railway official. 

Apart from 3 regional parties, Tripura Janajati Swa-Swashan Sangram Parishard opposed the Citizenship Bill-2016 which has been proposed by Central Govt. 

Against the proposed bill, the members of Janajati Swa-Swashan Sangram Parishard demands for Indira-Mujib Bill, according to which the immigrants who came after 1971, they will be consider as Non-residents of Indians.

But the Central Govt’s Citizenship Bill proposes that the people who are staying in India before 31^st December 2014 will get Indian Citizenship. Regional Tribals leaders said any new citizen can not be tolerated in Tripura and they do not have any problem with other states' affairs.

CPI-M State Secretary said that Modi Govt’s proposed bill should not only meant for Hindus but others should be added in that bill. ‘Apart from that we do not have any problem with this bill’, said Dhar.

BJP State President Biplab Deb said, ‘Any strike or protest called by any party in Tripura will be supported by BJP if it is against CPI-M as CPI-M is responsible for the bad condition of tribals lives in ADCs. But any bill when it passes, it is for every states and Tripura is a part of India’. ‘This country is known as Hindustan, what’s wrong if facilities given to Hindus…’, said Deb.

Apart from BJP, CPI-M, Amra Bangali also opposed the strike, whereas Congress supported the strike 100 % & TMC maintained silence.

Present unrest is going on across the state and many have been injured in that clash. 3 Tribal youths are admitted in Gomati Dist Hospital, who were injured by other parties (CPI-M) tribal supporters and more 47 were also minorly injured. 

"Around 50 persons were injured in which four of them are critical after bandh supporters and ruling Left party members clashed in six different places in Tripura," a police official said.

"Police arrested around 1,200 picketers from different places of Tripura for obstructing normal life and attacking shops, government schools and offices," the official added.

He said that in Gandachara, in northern Tripura, at least 21 persons were injured when ruling and opposition party supporters engaged in a clash over observing the strike.