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| The protest was organized by the Amarpur Sub-Division Conscious Citizens’ Society. |
Yesterday, a
protest was held in the Amarpur sub-division of the Indian state of Tripura
against the Santu faction of the Jana Samhati Samiti (JSS). The protest was
organized by the Amarpur Sub-Division Conscious Citizens’ Society. Around 1,000 men and women
participated, demanding the expulsion of the Santu group from Tripura. A
delegation from the protesters submitted a memorandum to Tripura Chief Minister
Dr. Manik Saha through the Sub-Divisional Magistrate.
The
protesters alleged that although members of the Santu group are foreign
infiltrators in Tripura, they try to dominate locals, extort them, and are
involved in illegal drug and arms trafficking, thereby corrupting the social
fabric of Tripura.
This was not
the first protest against the JSS. Earlier, on July 30, another protest was
held in the New Market area of Amarpur sub-division demanding deportation of
Santu group members from India. At that time, local people also chanted slogans
against the JSS Santu group. The growing anger among the local population in
Tripura against the Santu faction is evident from these two protests.
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| Protesters submitted a memorandum to Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha through the Sub-Divisional Magistrate. |
In fact, over the past few months, Tripura residents have started speaking out against the JSS Santu group. Posters condemning the group have appeared throughout the state, including in the capital, Agartala. A four-page leaflet, issued in the name of the “Socheton Janajati” (Conscious Indigenous Peoples), accused the JSS Santu group of perpetuating fratricidal conflict in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) in the interest of the Bangladeshi government and military.
During
yesterday’s protest, it was also alleged that members of the JSS Santu group,
after committing murders and kidnappings in the CHT, flee to Tripura for
shelter.
For years,
the armed members of the JSS Santu group have used the Indian states of Tripura
and Mizoram as bases for conducting fratricidal violence. On one hand, they
receive support from the Bangladesh government and military, while on the
other, they use Indian soil for refuge. Especially when they face resistance in
the CHT, they flee to India, gather weapons and ammunition, conduct military
training for their cadres, and then re-enter the CHT to kill their fellow
indigenous people.
While
sheltering in India, they try to strengthen their position by spreading false
information among the local population. However, in the age of the internet and
free flow of information, the true nature of the group is becoming evident to
the Indian public. That is why the people of Tripura are rising up in protest
against them.
Currently,
the Santu faction of JSS is losing ground both domestically and
internationally. Politically and ideologically, they have long been finished in
the CHT, with no public support left. Their ugly face of betrayal has now been
exposed to all. Within the Jumma community, they are condemned, scorned, and
rejected. Only with the backing of the government and military are they able to
hold on in a few places, but even that won’t last much longer.
Not only
within the country, but also abroad—including in Europe, America, Canada, and
South Korea—the Jumma diaspora is strongly opposed to the JSS Santu group’s
fratricidal policy. Even former supporters among the diaspora have turned their
backs on them. Their expulsion from Tripura is also imminent. And this will be
a major blow for them. Those who work against the interests of their own people
are never welcomed anywhere—they find no refuge. The fate of the JSS Santu
group appears to be a tragic one. (End)
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