Agartala, Nov. 8: The ruling CPM has strongly protested the fresh demand raised by the regional Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) for a new state based on areas under the Autonomous District Council (ADC) and on land allotment within ADC areas, describing the demands as “fissiparous and divisive”.

Interacting with the media at the Agartala Press Club last night, IPFT president and former station director in All India Radio, Agartala, Narendra Debbarma announced a programme of to press for a separate state based on ADC areas which encompass 68.10 per cent of the state’s total geographical territory.

“We will undertake a relay fast from November 11 to 14 to press for the demand for a separate state. We will continue the agitation until our demand is met,” said Narendra Debbarma. He termed the ruling CPM as “anti-indigenous people” and opposed the state government’s scheme of allotting land and constructing houses for non-indigenous people within the ADC area.

“We welcome the scheme in the interest of the people but the distinctive identity of the ADC area as a home to the indigenous people must be protected. We will oppose land allotment and house construction for non-indigenous people within the ADC area. Large plots of land have already been acquired by the state government within the ADC area with consent from the CPM-controlled ADC authority for building up battalion headquarters for security forces such as the TSR and CRPF,” said Narendra Debbarma.

“The demand for a separate state based on ADC areas is absolutely ridiculous and an attempt of IPFT to regain its lost relevance in state politics by creating ethnic tension,” said Bijan Dhar, CPM state secretary and central committee member of the party.

On the IPFT’s demand for keeping non-indigenous people out of the land allotment purview, Dhar said non-indigenous people living within ADC areas from before 1971 and those whose names figured in the voter list of 1971 are entitled to land allotment in accordance with existing revenue law in force.

“We have never given nor will we ever give land to non-indigenous people who have no record of residency within ADC areas from before 1971 or to those whose names did not figure in the 1971 voter list. So this demand is also motivated to create ethnic tension in the state. IPFT, which has no support base among the indigenous people, should remember that the Left Front is much more conscious of the interests of indigenous people than any other party,” said Dhar.

He said lands acquired by the government with consent from the ADC for building camps and headquarters for security forces were not “jote” (individually owned and titled) lands.

He said the indigenous people would never “fall a prey to IPFT’s machinations”.