By Tripura24.in Bureau
AGARTALA | June 14, 2026: Raising crucial issues concerning the constitutional rights and the preservation of indigenous traditions, the Tripura state unit of the Janajati Suraksha Manch (JSM) hosted a press conference at the Agartala Press Club today.
During the media briefing, top leaders of the organization put forward a definitive three-point charter of demands centered on the protection of genuine tribal identity, urging the central and state administrations to take swift legislative action before the situation escalates.
Push for “De-Listing” and Constitutional Amendments
The leadership emphasized that the core focus of their movement is to protect the distinct culture, customs, and traditional rituals of the indigenous communities. The organization reiterated its national stance regarding the immediate amendment of Article 342 of the Indian Constitution.
The three primary demands highlighted by the officials during the press meet include:
- Constitutional De-Listing: Amending the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Order, 1950, to strip the Scheduled Tribe (ST) status and reservation benefits from tribal individuals who have abandoned their traditional faiths and converted to other religions.
- Statutory Definition of ST: Implementing a clear, updated statutory definition of “Scheduled Tribe” based on the historic Lokur Committee criteria to reflect contemporary social realities.
- Protection of Indigeneity: Creating foolproof institutional mechanisms to ensure that dual benefits (enjoying both ST reservation and minority welfare schemes simultaneously) are completely plugged, safeguarding resources for the genuine tribal population.
Warning Issued Over Future Agitations
The executive members stated that despite sending multiple postcards, memos, and organizing localized contact programs over the years, the indigenous communities have been forced to wait patiently for administrative resolution.
”Our struggle is aimed at protecting the identity, traditions, and existence of crores of tribal people which are being diluted. If the government fails to look into our justified three-point charter of demands in a time-bound manner, our organization will have no choice but to take the path of a massive, state-wide democratic agitation in the coming days,” the JSM state representatives declared during the press interaction.
The briefing concluded with the Manch calling upon all traditional tribal bodies, indigenous chiefs, and social workers across the districts to remain mobilized for the next phase of the movement.
