Agartala, December 22, 2023: Due to mounting pressure from opposition parties and the intervention of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, the scheduled rally of Janjati Suraksha Manch in Agartala on December 25 has been rescheduled. Although the government had initially granted permission for the event, the Chief Minister’s request prompted a change in plans.
Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, responding to the concerns raised by opposition parties, personally urged the organizers of Janjati Suraksha Manch not to proceed with the rally on December 25. In light of this, the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Sadar handed a letter to the leadership of Janjati Suraksha Manch yesterday, advising them to consider organizing the rally either before or after December 25, which is celebrated as Christmas Day.
In response to the SDPO’s letter, Janjati Suraksha Manch convened a press conference on Thursday to announce a change in plans. The organization’s leadership stated that, in consideration of the Chief Minister’s special request, they have decided to reschedule the ‘delisting’ rally and public meeting to December 26, a day after the initially planned date.
The Janjati Suraksha Manch had organized the rally in Agartala to advocate for the cancellation of Scheduled Tribe (ST) benefits for ‘Janjatis’ who had converted to Christianity. However, the original date coincided with Christmas Day, the most significant festival for Christians.
Acknowledging the importance of religious festivals and in response to the concerns raised by opposition parties, the organization opted to change the date to December 26. This decision reflects a compromise between the Janjati Suraksha Manch’s advocacy goals and the recognition of the cultural and religious significance of December 25 for the Christian community.