Give us same deal as ones in Tripura got: Brus in Mizoram

Aizawl: Bru leaders in Mizoram, who said they were representing over 1,900 families that returned to Mizoram from the six relief camps in Tripura during the government-sponsored first to seventh rounds, have demanded an equal package like those who were repatriated after the rehabilitation and resettlement packages as agreed in the July 3, 2018 quadripartite agreement.
Chairman of the Equal Package Demand Committee (EPDC) Elvis Chorkhy, founder leader of the Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum (MBDPF), the apex body of the Bru inmates in the relief camps, told TOI that they had repeatedly submitted representations to the Centre and Mizoram state government on the issue.
Chorkhy said the 1,900 families who returned to Mizoram by following the instructions of the ministry of home affairs and the Mizoram government should be treated equally with those who returned much later and those who were allowed to remain in Tripura.
"Our obedience should pay," he said, adding that those who returned to Mizoram were paid a meagre sum.
He said they were paid Rs 80,000 per family and free ration for only two years.
Under the new package, as agreed in the July 3, 2018 quadripartite pact, the repatriated Bru families and the 34,000 Brus, who were allowed to remain in Tripura, would be given a much higher amount.
Each Bru family would be given Rs 4 lakh to be deposited in the account of the head of the family and to be withdrawn after 2 years while Rs 1.5 lakh would be disbursed as housing assistance to each family. Each Bru family would be given Rs 5,000 per month and free ration for 2 years.
"The package we received was much less than even the housing assistance to be given to those who returned after the July 3, 2018 agreement and those who would remain in Tripura," Chorkhy said.
The EPDC had submitted representations to the Union home minister on August 20, September 10 and December 4 last year, and the copies given to senior officials of the ministry of home affairs.
He said they demanded that Rs 70,000 be given as housing assistance to those 1,900 Bru families who were repatriated before the qadripartite agreement by deducting Rs 80,000 already paid to them.
"Each repatriated family should also be paid Rs 4 lakh, along with the Rs 5,000 per month and the free ration must be extended by another year," he said, adding, "A lesser package to the forerunners and torchbearers of the repatriation can never be justified."
The Bru leader said they have been making the demands through representations and verbal appeals to the central leaders during the meetings of the joint monitoring group on Bru repatriation in Delhi and other places.
He warned that the disgruntled repatriated Bru families would not wait passively for justice and might resort to stronger pressure if their demands were not met expeditiously.