17,000 Brus in Tripura to cast vote in Lok Sabha elections

AGARTALA: In the upcoming Lok Sabha election, around 17,000 Bru people, residing in Tripura are preparing to exercise their voting rights, signifying a crucial milestone in their resettlement journey.

The displacement of Bru (Reang) families from Mizoram due to ethnic violence in October 1997 led to the migration of a significant number to North Tripura district in 1997-1998.

Approximately 30,000 Bru migrants, comprising 5000 families, sought refuge in six relief camps established in the Kanchanpur district of North Tripura.

On July 3, 2018, a pivotal agreement was reached among the Centre, the Mizoram and Tripura governments, and the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF) for the permanent resettlement of Bru people in Tripura.

Subsequently, they were resettled in 12 locations across Tripura.

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Addressing the media, Puneet Agarwal, the Tripura chief electoral officer (CEO), emphasized the steps taken during the 2023 Tripura assembly election to accommodate the electoral requirements of the Bru community.

Anticipating the movement of Bru families to various districts, auxiliary polling stations were established during the assembly election, later converted into permanent polling stations.

This proactive approach facilitated the inclusion of most Bru families in the voter list.

Agarwal stressed that the Bru issue remained significant during the previous assembly election, prompting the establishment of permanent polling stations across the 12 resettlement locations.

Consequently, an estimated 17,000 Bru individuals are expected to participate in Tripura's democratic process, marking a significant step in their integration into the state's electoral framework.