Mass edu movement in Tripura helped Left Front form govt: CPI(M) leader

Agartala, Dec 27 (PTI) CPI(M) leader Jitendra Chaudhury on Saturday said the mass education movement in Tripura has played a key role in the formation of the Left Front government in the state and reshaped the socio-education-cultural space.

Speaking at the observance of 'Jana Shiksha Andolan' here, the party's state secretary said the main objective of the movement was to set up primary schools in rural areas where "education remained neglected during princely rule spanning over 1,400 years".

"The eleven youths led by Dasharath Dev, Nripen Chakraborty and Sudhanya Debbarma had formed Jana Shiksha Andolan in 1948 and established 400 schools, most of them in tribal areas. Over the next few years, 'Jana Shiksha Andolan' gained pace and boosted the Communist movement that led to the formation of the Left Front government. It has also transformed the state's socio-cultural space, politics and education", he said.

The Left formed a government in the northeastern state for the first time in 1978.

He accused the Manikya dynasty of depriving the Tiprasa (tribal) people of basic education.

"There was no discontent between tribals and non-tribals on education till 70's. Nowadays, the Tipra Motha has been trying to change the education system by introducing the Roman script for the language (Kokborok)", he said.

Chaudhury also criticised the way the Tipra Motha Party has introduced English medium in schools run by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC).

"No teacher has been recruited in these schools. Instead of opening new schools, many faced closure. Scope for education is shrinking in the tribal council areas," he claimed.

The Leader of Opposition also criticised the BJP for "injecting Hindutva ideology in the name of National Education Policy (NEP)". PTI PS BDC