Tripura News

Tripura's CM Manik Saha announces plans to implement CAA despite opposition

Sentinel Digital Desk

Published:18th May, 2024 at 12:50 PM

AGARTALA: The Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Tripura has announced its plan to put into effect the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), as stated by chief minister Manik Saha on Friday.

The decision is facing significant opposition from various other political parties, who are concerned that the implementation of the new law could lead to communal tensions in Tripura.

CM Saha, speaking to the reporters at a blood donation event held at a mosque, mentioned that the Tripura government is preparing to enforce the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state, following directions from the central government.

He noted that on March 11, the Central government notified the Citizenship Amendment rules 2024. These rules facilitate the implementation of the CAA, which is intended to provide Indian citizenship to persecuted Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, Buddhists, Parsis, and Christians who came to India from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan before December 31, 2014.

Following the directions from the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Tripura government has recently established a six-member state-level committee chaired by the Director of Census Operations. This committee is tasked with granting citizenship under the CAA.

The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), which is the sole autonomous body for tribes in Tripura, governs two-thirds of the state’s area, covering 10,491 square kilometers and home to over 1,216,000 people. Approximately 84 percent of these inhabitants are tribals.

Despite being a new ally of the BJP in Tripura, the TIPRA Motha party has opposed the CAA since its inception, joining the CPI-M and Congress in their opposition.

Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, the founder of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), has raised concerns about the current implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He warned that the act, in its current form, could allow illegal immigrants to fraudulently claim citizenship using false documents, which would make the verification process difficult.