Reported by: Mrinal Banik

Agartala: Two Left-affiliated organisations, GMP (Ganamukti Parishad) and TSU (Tribal Students’ Union), staged a sit-in protest near Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala on Monday, demanding the cancellation of what they alleged were illegal appointments in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC), transparent recruitment to vacant posts and the early passage of the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill.

Members and supporters of the two organisations participated in the protest and raised their demands.

The protesters alleged that proper rules and transparency were not being maintained in appointments to the ADC. They demanded that appointments they considered illegal be cancelled and eligible candidates be recruited to vacant posts through a transparent and fair process.

They also called for the early filling of long-pending vacancies in the ADC, saying vacant key posts could affect administrative work and the delivery of services to people.

The protesters also demanded the early passage of the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill in Parliament. They said the proposed legislation was important for issues related to the rights, self-governance and constitutional safeguards of tribal-inhabited areas.

Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, who addressed the protest, said transparent recruitment to important posts in the ADC and stronger constitutional rights and safeguards were needed.

Chaudhury alleged that despite demands being raised on various issues for a long time, no solution had been found, forcing them to take to the streets.

The protesters called on the authorities to review appointments in the ADC, initiate a transparent recruitment process, fill vacant posts at the earliest and take necessary steps for the early passage of the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill.

The protest was held in the Swami Vivekananda Maidan area, where participants raised slogans in support of their demands.