Amra Bangali Alleges Selective Targeting of Bengalis in Immigration Drive, Demands Judicial Probe into 1980 Riots

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, July 10, 2025

Raising serious allegations against selective targeting of Bengalis in the name of identifying illegal immigrants in Tripura, the socio political party 'Amra Bangali' on Wednesday claimed that not only Bengalis but also a significant number of tribal people had illegally migrated to the state from Bangladesh over the decades.

In a press conference held at the party’s state office in Agartala, Amra Bangali state president Gauranga Rudra Pal stated, “It is a matter of grave concern that every time the issue of illegal immigration comes up, only Bengalis are blamed. But historical and demographic evidence clearly shows that many so-called tribal individuals have also crossed over from Bangladesh and settled in different parts of Tripura. This selective outrage exposes the political motives of certain parties.”

The party also issued a strong demand for a judicial reinvestigation into the infamous June 1980 riots and multiple instances of massacres and violent attacks on Bengalis that occurred in Tripura during the last three decades. They alleged that justice has remained elusive for the Bengali victims of ethnic violence and political negligence.

“The 1980 riots led to the massacre of hundreds of innocent Bengalis. Even after four decades, no proper investigation or justice has been delivered. Similarly, several acts of mass violence, property lootings, and targeted killings of Bengalis have taken place in the last thirty to fourtty years, often by extremist groups. The victims were either forgotten or silenced,” Rudra Pal said.

He demanded that the state government constitute a Judicial Commission led by a sitting High Court judge to conduct a thorough inquiry into these incidents. The party also demanded proper compensation, rehabilitation, and security arrangements for the surviving families of victims.

The press conference was also attended by senior party leaders including Dulal Ghosh, Ashok Kumar Das, Simanti Deb, Geetanjali Das, Gouri Debbarma, and Shilpi Das. They alleged that several individuals who were once involved in armed insurgency and anti-Bengali violence are now active in public life, making provocative statements that reignite ethnic divisions in the state.

The leadership of Amra Bangali also criticized tribal-centric political parties like Tipra Motha for spreading what they termed “anti-Bengali narratives” in the name of cultural protection and illegal immigration. “This is a well-orchestrated campaign to drive out Bengalis from their own land using the smokescreen of illegal migration,” Rudra Pal alleged.

The party clarified that it supports identifying and deporting harmful illegal immigrants regardless of ethnicity, but insists that the process must be lawful, non-discriminatory, and humane. They urged the government to consider current humanitarian situations in neighboring Bangladesh before taking any extreme steps.

Concluding the press meet, Amra Bangali leadership declared their commitment to continuing their democratic and legal struggle to safeguard the existence, rights, and dignity of Bengalis in Tripura.

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