- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Agartala, February 09, 2022: Tripura is set to be recognized for another new sub-group of the indigenous community and a bill related to this has been introduced in the Parliament.
The Darlong community will be recognized as a sub-group of the Kuki group. Union Tribal Welfare Minister Arjun Munda has introduced the bill in Parliament.
Tripura is currently home to 19 tribal communities. There are, of course, more sub-groups. Tripuri, Reang, Jamatia, Noatia, Uchai, Chakma, Mog, Lusai, Kuki, Halam, Munda, Kaur, Orang, Santal, Vill, Bhutia, Chaimal, Garo, Khasi and Lepcha, these 19 communities live in Tripura.
The Darlong community has been demanding separate recognition of the tribal group since the 1990s. At present about 11,000 people of Darlong community live in Tripura. Their development over time deserves praise.
There are also representatives from this community at the top official level of the Tripura administration. This community has witnessed unprecedented development in education, culture and tradition.
So far everyone in the Darling community has been getting all the benefits as a tribe. They were not recognized as separate sub-group. The Tripura government recently sent a proposal to the central government to include the Darlong community under the Kuki community.
The central government has agreed to the proposal and a bill has been tabled in Parliament to include the Darlong community under the Kuki community for Tripura.
Union Tribal Welfare Minister Arjun Munda has introduced an amendment bill to include the Darlong community under the Kuki sub-group of the Kuki community.
It is true that the Darling community will be given separate recognition by amending the constitution, but it is not possible to bear the additional cost right now. However, the Ministry of Tribal Welfare has assured that as much assistance as possible will be provided under the approved budget.
