Agartala, 8th September 2025: Decades after the tragic ethnic violence of 1980, which resulted in the deaths of thousands of Bengalis in Tripura, the Amra Bangali party has intensified its demand for justice. They are calling for a judicial inquiry and rehabilitation for the families affected by the violence.
The unrest began on June 6, 1980, following a market boycott in Lembucherra, which quickly spiraled into widespread violence in Mandai, Takarjala, and Jampuijala. Accounts from local residents and historical records characterize the events as one of the darkest periods in Tripura’s history, marked by mass killings, rapes, and the forced displacement of Bengali civilians.
The Amra Bangali party contends that this violence was politically motivated, pointing to a secret meeting on February 16, 1980, between tribal leader Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhwal and then Chief Minister Nripen Chakraborty. Chakraborty was reported to have said in 1984, “If I had been born in a tribal family, I would have also become an extremist,” highlighting the political dynamics at play.
In 1999, former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar expressed similar views, claiming, “Some misguided tribal youth are agitating for the creation of an independent Tripura with guns in their hands. I do not blame those youth.” CPI(M) leader Badal Chowdhury later remarked that independence could be considered if the people desired it.
In a recent press release, Amra Bangali party secretary Gouranga Rudra Pal called for the establishment of a High Court-led Judicial Inquiry Commission to hold accountable those responsible for the June 1980 massacre. The party is also demanding compensation of Rs 2 crore, as well as land and security for families impacted by extremist violence since 1980.
The then Union Home Minister Zail Singh described the massacre in Tripura as surpassing even that of the Jewish massacre, yet no legal actions were taken against the state government thereafter.
The Amra Bangali party has warned that continued inaction would amount to a betrayal by the ruling BJP, urging the government to demonstrate its goodwill through meaningful actions.
Original Source: https://tripurachronicle.in/local-news/amra-bangali-demands-judicial-probe-into-1980s-massacre-urges-rs-2-crore-compensation-for-ethnic-violence-victims/
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Publish Date: 2025-09-08 20:43:00
