Agartala, September 6: The Opposition CPI(M) on Friday launched a sharp attack on ruling NDA ally Tipra Motha after the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) extended the cutoff date for religiously persecuted minorities from neighboring countries to stay in India.
On September 1, the MHA issued a fresh order under the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), allowing Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan who entered India on or before December 31, 2024, to remain, even without valid documents.
CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury accused Tipra Motha of “hypocrisy and doublespeak.” He reminded that just months earlier, Tipra Motha and allied organizations had staged statewide protests when the cutoff date was December 31, 2014, demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants within a month.
“Back then, they aggressively mobilized people, claiming deportation was imminent. Now, the same MHA has extended the dateline to 2024. What will they say now?” Chaudhury asked. The veteran Left leader accused the NDA government of “political manipulation” and inconsistency in its migration policy.
Meanwhile, Tipra Motha leaders, including MoS Brishaketu Debbarma and MLA Ranjit Debbarma, reiterated their rejection of the MHA order. They stated that party supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma has already challenged the CAA in the Supreme Court. For them, the cutoff year must remain 1971, consistent with Tripura’s historical and political context. They pledged to continue their agitation on this demand.
The CPI(M)’s criticism has underscored growing tensions between the Opposition and the NDA’s tribal ally. While Tipra Motha positions itself as a champion of Tripura’s indigenous rights, the latest policy shift has exposed deep contradictions and widened fault lines in the state’s political discourse.
