'Only time will tell how sincere the UPA government is'

Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in an exclusive interview with Hardnews

Ashis Biswas Kolkata
One can sense  the  fundamental dilemma facing  the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI[M]) Chief Minister on the subject of Congress-ruled centre while talking to Manik Sarkar, Chief Minister of the Indian state of Tripura. In a candid interview with Hardnews, Sarkar was  caught in three different moods: critical about the centre's role in the economic development of his state and the northeast; non-committal about the centre's  response towards the long-standing demands made by Tripura; and supportive of  Delhi only on the question of fighting Indian insurgents operating from Bangladesh.

Not quite the stuff one would have expected to hear from the leader of a party that supports the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government. More warmth would have been in order. However, it is common knowledge that relations between the CPI(M) and the Congress have been strained ever since Prime Minister Manmohan Singh gave a piece of his mind to West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee over left  protests against US air exercises at the Kalaikunda base. Subsequent developments like the agitation over the proposed privatisation and expansion of Mumbai and Delhi airports led to more differences. 

And all this in the background of the coming assembly polls in West Bengal, where the CPI (M) and Congress remain bitter opponents. Both parties will be hard put to explain why they remain enemies at the state level, yet allies at the apex level. The Trinamul Congress allegation that both parties will be aiming at the decimation of the smaller opposition parties will be hard to counter.

On Tripura, Sarkar treads on surer ground. The indices of economic performance are positive, the state has ample reserves of gas (estimated at 2.6 trillion cubic feet), and kidnappings are fewer.
Excerpts

How is the law and order situation in Tripura at present?
There was never any problem regarding common crimes such as thefts or dacoities, which are under control. Insurgency, of course, is a different matter. I am happy to say that things are slowly improving. There are concrete signs of improvement: the number of incidents has come down, there are fewer kidnappings and above all, cadres of the outlawed NLFT and the ATTF insurgent organisations have surrendered in significant numbers. Forcible cash collections too are down.

Tripura used to report around 1,200 kidnappings a year. How many occur now?
I can't give exact figures. But the important thing is that nowadays we have been able to rescue many people, which did not happen earlier. There are signs of a better intelligence network, better public response and the weakening of insurgents.

Does the centre co-operate with the state in its battle against insurgency?
Yes, by and large. Out of the 856 kilometre border with Bangladesh, 500 km have been fenced and work on the remaining parts too must be completed. We are trying to combat insurgency through a greater rapport between people and security forces.

What about the Bangladesh factor?
It is common knowledge that Bangladesh allows insurgents to operate out of its territory. So many insurgent camps are run from there, close to Chittagong and other areas. We know of them, the whole world knows, yet Dhaka keeps denying their presence. Are we so naive that we will accept their version?