Will Tripura face shortage of central forces ? Language, Civilisational, historical and cultural.... aspects key factors !!

 Will Tripura face shortage of central forces ?

Guwahati/New Delhi  

As Bangladesh plunged into chaos and crisis and ultimately the ouster of an elected Prime Minister; the state of Tripura in northeast also came into focus of both the policy makers and also those tracking geo-strategic situations in the region.

Four key dimensions always revolve around Bangladesh-Tripura relationships. They are language, civilisational, historical and cultural. Now comes perhaps a more important aspect the Security.

Following the unrest in Bangladesh there are apprehensions that now 'armed militants' in various northeastern states could again take shelter in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. It is a known fact that the Paresh Baurah faction of ULFA has still not agreed for talks with New Delhi.

Pakistan's closer ties with Bangladesh post-Hasina ouster has understandably given a booster dosage for the Paresh Baruah-led ULFA faction.

Amid such a situation, the security agencies may face yet another complication and that is the 'manpower shortage' of central and para military forces.

Of course, Tripura falls under the 'peace zone' in the northeast in military parlance along with Meghalaya and Mizoram.

Compared to Tripura, Mizoram probably has more central forces. Of course the Myanmar border makes things complex. However, post-chaotic upheavals in Bangladesh, analysts in Delhi say there could be a need for an additional security support system for Tripura.

A retired Lt General said: "As a retired uniformed officer we generally do not speak on hardcore military matters. But it is also true that in contrast to Tripura and Mizoram though dealing with multiple ceasefires and 28-year-old pending peace talks Nagaland has 14-15 battalions."

In fact, in 2024 when violence started, the central forces actually faced 'occupational hazards' in the absence of enforcement of the provisions of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA) in some vulnerable pockets of Jiribam.

Even old record wise, the retired officer said, the Assam Rifles has a good reputation both in Tripura and also other states in the region as an anti-insurgency crack team.

Old timers in the decades old force recalled how in 1986, due to a surge in the militant activities, the Tripura government had requisitioned for additional central forces, preferring Assam Rifles over all others.

In fact, the 23rd Assam Rifles Battalion then was placed under the state government and deployed in the Ampinagar areas.

Another Assam Rifles Battalion, which was still in the process of being raised somewhere in Assam, was also allotted and moved quickly to Tripura in 1986 for adequate deployment in vulnerable areas.

ends