Guwahati: In what might ensure lasting peace in Tripura, 584 cadres of the outlawed groups, National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), have laid down their arms before Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha on Tuesday.
The arms laying down ceremony was organised at the 7th battalion headquarters of the Tripura State Rifles (TSR) at Jampuijala in Sepahijala district. The ceremony is a fallout of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by the two militant outfits with the state and Central government on September 4.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah was present during the signing of the tripartite MoU with the NLFT and ATTF. The BJP-led government at the Centre had already announced a financial package of Rs 250 crore for rehabilitation of the NLFT and ATTF cadres.
Speaking on the occasion on Tuesday, Tripura Chief Minister expressed his happiness and said that after the arms laying down on Tuesday Tripura has become completely insurgency-free state.
Addressing the event, Dr Saha said that the arms-laying ceremony was a result of the peace accord, which marked a significant milestone in Tripura’s journey toward peace. “When Narendra Modi took charge as Prime Minister of India, he consistently emphasised that the development of the country is impossible without the development of the Northeast,” Dr. Saha said while adding that PM Modi had ensured that most of the insurgent outfits are brought to the negotiating table now.
“We can see that the Northeast, which was once grappling with terrorism, is now almost free from it. About 12 peace accords been signed with the insurgents in the northeast India,” he said.
From today, we can say that Tripura is now free from terrorism. Both the state and Central governments have implemented a series of schemes for the development of the Janajati people,” Dr Saha said.
Biswa Mohan Debbarma, President of NLFT (BM), Parimal Debbarma, President NLFT (PD), Prasenjit Debbarma, President, NLFT (ORI) and Alindra Debbarma, President, ATTF, surrendered AK Series Rifles before the Chief Minister.
“Problems cannot be solved through violence and arms. To those who have lived difficult lives and have now joined the mainstream, I extend a warm welcome,” Dr. Saha said.
The event was attended by Tripura DGP Amitabh Ranjan, DGP (Intelligence) Anurag, Chief Secretary JK Sinha, Home Secretary PK Chakraborty, Sepahijala District Magistrate Siddhart Shiv Jaiswal, and others.
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