Tripura’s Power and Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ratan Lal Nath, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to assisting families impacted by political violence by offering government jobs to eligible members of those deceased. Before the BJP-led government took office in 2018, the state witnessed numerous political killings, with records showing 15,589 murders between 1993 and 2017, many of which were linked to political violence.
The government initiated a dedicated rehabilitation scheme to provide employment to one eligible family member of each victim of political violence. This scheme, named ‘Scheme for Providing Employment to Members of the Family of Persons Killed in Political Violence,’ was launched on December 23, 2020, covering cases up to March 9, 2018. Subsequently, the state Cabinet expanded the scheme’s scope by removing the eligibility restriction related to the date of occurrence.
To ensure fair selection, a detailed verification process is in place to determine if a death resulted from political violence. A scrutiny committee, chaired by Minister Nath, reviews police reports, official records, and conducts relevant inquiries to establish eligibility for government jobs. The government has received 38 petitions under the scheme, with 18 family members already employed, 11 cases recommended for employment, and others under scrutiny.
In cases dating back to the previous regime, obtaining documentary evidence has been challenging due to missing records. Despite difficulties in verifying incidents, the government is diligently examining each case. Minister Nath emphasized that applications are evaluated without political bias, irrespective of the victim’s political affiliation, with the primary goal of supporting deserving families affected by political violence.
