Bengalis in Tripura Are Sons of the Soil, Not Outsiders: ‘Amra Bangali’ Leaders Assert Amidst Massive Rally in Agartala
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, August 31, 2025
Defying torrential rain and flooded streets, thousands of supporters of the ‘Amra Bangali’ party took to the streets of Agartala on Saturday afternoon, raising a resounding slogan 'Existence is our fight, rights for Bengalis'.
The protest march, which began from the party’s state office, turned into a show of strength as men, women, and youths carrying banners and chanting slogans demanded recognition of Bengalis in Tripura as rightful sons of the soil, not outsiders. Uniformed Bengali Yuva Bahini cadres, marching in disciplined rows with batons on their shoulders, caught the eye of onlookers, while the energetic participation of women added sharper tones to the protest.
Despite the relentless downpour, ordinary citizens joined the march, signaling growing solidarity with the cause. At the subsequent protest rally, the leaders alleged that for decades the rights of Bengalis in Tripura have been systematically ignored. They demanded fair political representation, protection of administrative rights, equal opportunities in education and employment, and recognition of linguistic rights.
The speakers denounced labeling Bengalis as illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh, calling it a deep insult to the community which, they stressed, has lived in Tripura even before India’s independence. They also condemned the repeated attempts to undermine Bengali, a constitutionally recognized classical language, and called for safeguarding the constitutional rights of Bengalis.
Central organizational secretary Tapomoy Biswas, state secretary Gouranga Rudra Pal, central committee member Ashok Kumar Das, women’s secretary Simanti Deb, and legal secretary Rakhal Raj Dutta, along with other senior leaders, addressed the gathering.
The leadership placed the issue within a historical context, recalling that India’s freedom struggle began with Bengal’s sacrifices. They reminded the audience of Bengal’s resistance to the Partition of Bengal, the role of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s Azad Hind Fauj in shaking British rule, and the betrayal by Congress, Communists, Muslim League, Hindu Mahasabha, and RSS leaders who failed to support Netaji’s vision of a united, secular India.
Bengalis were the greatest victims of Partition, and in Tripura, they faced repeated attacks, including the brutal killings of thousands in the 1980s, the leaders alleged. They accused successive governments
red, white, and saffron of playing politics over the blood of Bengalis, empowering those responsible for violence, while continuously humiliating the community.
The leadership further criticized the current move to question the citizenship of Bengalis afresh. Since independence, injustice has been constant. Today, asking Bengalis once again to prove their citizenship is an insult. In this situation, there is no way forward except struggle, they declared.
The rally concluded with a firm warning: if their demands remain unfulfilled, the movement will intensify in the coming days. The leaders pledged to continue the existential struggle for the future generations of Bengalis in Tripura, resonating the vow 'the fight for existence will go on.'
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