Agartala, 3rd June 2026: A fresh controversy has erupted over the ongoing census of the Riang tribal community conducted under the PTGB department. The Bru Sangrangma Motha social organization voiced strong objections during a press conference held at Birchandra Manu in Shantirbazar subdivision on Wednesday.
General Secretary Khonaram Reang alleged that the methodology adopted by the PTGB department is flawed and risks leaving critical gaps in the data. He stated that despite submitting written complaints to the department, no satisfactory response has been received. The organization has now urged Chief Minister Prof. Dr. Manik Saha and Minister Shuklacharan Noatia to intervene immediately to resolve the matter.
Khonaram Reang emphasized that the census must involve local Reang social organizations or be entrusted to them directly. “If individuals unfamiliar with the community’s language and culture conduct the survey, linguistic barriers will distort the findings. This will prevent accurate documentation of the Reang population and could trigger administrative complications,” he warned.
The organization also questioned the transparency of the recruitment process for census enumerators, alleging irregularities in how responsibilities were assigned and funds allocated. According to Bru Sangrangma Motha, proper representation of the Reang community’s population, socio-economic conditions, and cultural identity can only be ensured through active participation of local stakeholders.
The group has appealed to the Chief Minister and the concerned minister to replace the current mechanism with experienced Reang social organizations to carry out the census, stressing that otherwise the exercise risks being fundamentally flawed.
