The Joint Movement against Citizenship Amendment Act (JMACAA), a joint forum of indigenous political parties, social organisations and indigenous students’ organisations, on Sunday announced that it is organising a “peaceful” protest rally at Rabindra Bhawan here on Tuesday, opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Addressing a news conference on Sunday evening, Indigenous Nationalist Party of Twipra (INPT) chief and the veteran leader of the joint forum, Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl, said, “We are awaiting a response from Union home minister Amit Shah regarding a meeting we had requested when we met him in New Delhi. He said if we are all ready with our topics within 15 days, we can inform chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who would accordingly inform him. However, till today we have not received any communication regarding any meeting.”

He said the forum, comprising different political organisations, student organisations, and civil society groups, had organised an indefinite strike from December 9 to 11 over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019. “The delegates of the JMACAA were invited to meet the chief minister on the evening of December 9 at his office. He assured us that he would get us an appointment with the Union home minister at the earliest and finally we called off the strike,” he said.

“Accordingly, delegates of the JMACAA met Shah at Parliament House in New Delhi on December 12 and minister of state for home affairs G. Kishan Reddy. The meeting was cordial and finally we arrived at a conclusion that within a week an agreement would be signed with the joint forum to protect the indigenous people of Tripura.

In the meantime, the delegates of the joint forum met Deb on December 18 and on Thursday to get an appointment with Shah and discussed other related issues.

“However, the appointment is still awaited. We have decided to organise a peaceful rally at Rabindra Bhawan here on Tuesday from noon, opposing CAA,” he said.

Debbarma alleged that they were “cheated and undermined” by the central government’s reluctance to discuss their demand.

“Our stand is clear and we informed Shah about this. We feel if CAA is implemented in Tripura, law and order in the state might deteriorate and the existence of tribals would be endangered,” Hrangkhawl said. He also appealed to all sections of the people for their support in the peaceful rally.