Agartala, Sept 3: Tripura is bracing for a tense weekend as organisations representing surrendered extremists have announced a 72-hour statewide bandh from September 4, warning that they will intensify the agitation into an indefinite blockade if their long-pending demands are not addressed.
The announcement was made at a press conference at the Agartala Press Club on Thursday. Convenor Jibanjoy Reang and other leaders outlined the agitation programme and alleged that repeated discussions with the state government had failed to produce any concrete outcome.
The leaders said they had held meetings with government representatives, including Minister Bikash Debbarma, but claimed that their demands remain unresolved. Expressing dissatisfaction with the pace of negotiations, they said assurances had not translated into tangible action.
The organisations also called for direct intervention by Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, arguing that a decisive solution to the issue requires the Chief Minister’s involvement. Referring to the lack of progress in talks, one of the leaders said, “The key to the lock is not with the ministers, it is with the Chief Minister.”
The groups described the three-day bandh as a warning to the government rather than the final phase of their agitation. They said that if their demands are not met during the 72-hour shutdown, they would move towards an indefinite blockade, potentially affecting transportation, business activities and normal public life across the state.
The leaders further accused the administration of repeatedly providing verbal assurances without taking concrete steps to resolve the issues. They indicated that they were no longer willing to rely solely on further rounds of discussions and would instead pursue a more intensified agitation.
They also warned that the state government and the BJP-led administration would be held responsible for any untoward incidents that might occur during the agitation.
The bandh announcement has raised concerns over its possible impact on daily life, particularly transport and essential services. The administration is expected to closely monitor the situation and take necessary security measures to maintain law and order.
With the shutdown scheduled to begin on September 4, attention is now focused on the government’s response and whether last-minute intervention can prevent the proposed escalation to an indefinite blockade.
