North East News Agency

The fact that the law and order situation in Tripura is changing fast can be judged from the fact that in the last two years more than 450 militants have surrendered in the State. The surrendered militants had deposited fire arms, including AK series of rifles, SLRs, 303 rifles and Chinese grenades, besides hundreds of ammunition.

Insiders attach various reasons behind the change of minds of those who took up guns. According to them, frustration, infighting, lack of ideals and financial crisis, among other reasons, have forced the misguided youths to join the mainstream.

Another factor which contributed largely towards this trend is the fact the while the cadres live a hard life at the camps situated inside thick jungles, leaders of the underground groups enjoy lavish lifestyle in foreign countries. It is learnt that leaders of the outlawed All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) and National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) are nicely placed in Bangladeshi cities like Dhaka and Chittagong.

Thus unable to cope with the hard life and being frustrated with the false promises made by their leaders, a large number of militants managed to escape from the training camps and surrendered before the authorities, the insiders feel.

To allure more misguided youth to join mainstream, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar recently emphasized in building proper infrastructure to expedite the development process. He stressed that necessary infrastructure is required for the growth of industry and tourism so that the State could benefit itself from the country’s ‘look-east’ policy.

The Tripura Chief Minister further asserted that tiny land-locked State was poised for a rapid development with the availability of natural gas and the ONGC setting up a mega power project. ‘’We must improve the logistic infrastructure, including hotels, to facilitate industrial development and tourism,’’ Mr Sarkar said He strongly felt that the State should not lag behind in this respect and utilise the opportunities coming its way to fit well into the country’s look-east policy. The chief minister had also urged the Centre to take up with Bangladesh the issues of having access to the Chittagong port and railway and road links for the growth of industry and trade.

Meanwhile, the controversy over the office of profit issue snowballed in to a major crisis as veteran Rajya Sabha MP from Tripura, Motilal Sarkar, coming under the Election Commission (EC) glare. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam had referred a complaint against Mr. Sarkar in this regard to the EC for final decision. The Election Commission is enquiring in to the matter.

Leader of the Opposition in Tripura Assembly, Ratanlal Nath, had filed a complaint with the President on March 15, alleging that despite being a Rajya Sabha MP, Mr. Sarkar is holding an office of profit as chairman of the Khadi Gramodyog Board. Mr. Nath  demanded that Sarkar’s membership to the Upper House be terminated.

Having examined the nature of the complaint, the President referred it to the poll panel. Mr. Nath received an official communication from the Election Commission Secretary, asking him to furnish detailed papers and evidence latest by April 25 in support of his contention that the MP is holding an office of profit..

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