AGARTALA, Dec 22: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday slammed the Left parties for maintaining Tripura as a “backward” state during their 35-year rule, claiming that only after the BJP came to power in 2018 did the state begin to witness progress. Speaking at a public meeting following his visit to a village where displaced Bru tribals were rehabilitated, Shah emphasized the state’s transformation under BJP leadership.
Shah criticized the communist and Congress governments, claiming that despite their assertions of working for the welfare of the poor, the state’s development remained stagnant for decades. “It was only when the BJP came to power that Tripura could see real development,” he said.
The Home Minister highlighted several areas of progress, including a dramatic increase in access to piped drinking water, from just 2.5% of the population under Left rule to 85% today. He also pointed to improvements in education, health, and welfare, noting that school drop-out rates had decreased to under 3% while enrollment had reached 99%. Additionally, he mentioned that people now receive free treatment up to Rs 5 lakh, free power, LPG connections, and 5 kg of rice each month, benefits that were absent during the communist rule.
Shah also spoke about the restoration of peace in Tripura, following the signing of peace accords with insurgents. He expressed confidence that with continued development, Tripura would become one of the most developed states in India.
Addressing the rehabilitation of Bru refugees, Shah highlighted the BJP-led government’s efforts to improve the lives of 40,000 displaced people. He criticized the previous Left government for failing to act on the refugee crisis. Under the BJP, 11 villages have already been set up, with plans for one more. The Bru tribals, who had lived in sub-human conditions, now enjoy the rights of Indian citizens, including Aadhar cards, voter lists, and ration cards, Shah said. The rehabilitated families have received financial aid, including Rs 1.5 lakh for house construction, Rs 4 lakh in fixed deposits, and monthly support of Rs 5,000 for two years.
The Bru tribals, displaced due to ethnic violence in Mizoram in the late 1990s and early 2000s, were officially rehabilitated following a quadripartite agreement signed on January 16, 2020. The agreement between the governments of India, Tripura, Mizoram, and Bru organizations aims to permanently resettle the refugees in Tripura. Twelve locations have been identified across four districts of Tripura for the construction of resettlement colonies on a total of 754 acres of land.
Shah concluded his speech with optimism about the state’s future, stating, “With the blessings of Maa Tripurasundari, Tripura will be one of the most developed states in the country.”
