Talks between the State Government and the agitating Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) failed on Sunday as the outfit refused to withdraw its road and rail blockade at Baramura hill range in West Tripura district, about 30 km from here.
A nine-member delegation of IPFT headed by its president NC Debbarma on Sunday met a delegation of the state government headed by Chief Secretary Sanjib Ranjan for talks to break the impasse over the blockade, but decided to continue its indefinite agitation programme.
“An administrative team headed by the chief secretary requested us to withdraw the movement on the plea that it is causing problems for the common people. But, the proposal was not acceptable to us because they did not agree to discuss our demand for a separate State. We said our movement will continue,” Debbarma told reporters.
Chief Minister Manik Sarkar told reporters after the meeting that he has called up Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and informed him about the outcome of the discussion.
“I have informed the Union Home Minister about today’s meeting and told him that since creation of any new state is at the discretion of the Centre, the issue should be handled at their end,” Sarkar said.
Apart from the chief secretary, the State Government was represented by home secretary Santanu Singh, DGP AK Shukla, additional DGP SS Chaturvedi, DM (West) Milind Ramteke, IG (law and order) KV Sreejesh and SP (West) Abhijeet Saptarshi.