AGARTALA: Taking a tough stand, Union minister of state for home Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday refused to meet representatives of the agitating Indigenous People's Front of Twipra (IPFT). The group has launched an indefinite road and rail blockade in the state demanding a separate Twipraland.Reiterating the stand the state BJP committee had taken, Rijiju said the Centre would not engage in any talks unless the blockade is withdrawn without any conditions and until normalcy is restored. A five-member BJP delegation, headed by its president Biplab Kumar Deb, met governor Tathagata Roy and apprised him of the apparent stalemate in the state over the Twipraland stir and the resultant deterioration in law and order."The Centre had made it clear that a separate Twipraland is not acceptable. Even then, the chief minister called up Union home minister Rajnath Singh, requesting him to talk to IPFT leaders who have been waiting in Delhi. His government circulated a half-truth statement saying MoS Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju will hold talks with IPFT this afternoon," BJP state observer Sunil Deodhar said.BJP members, in the meantime, gheraoed chief minister Manik Sarkar and four of his cabinet colleagues - agriculture minister Aghore Debbarma, health minister Badal Choudhury , education minister Tapan Chakraborty and jail minister Manindra Reang - in their official residences, demanding their resignation. They accused the government of having failed to end the blockade and of abetting the Twipraland movement. The governor appealed to BJP to end the gherao and promised to speak with the state government and the Centre about arriving at a solution to the current situation.The state administration became almost inoperative due to the gherao. The council of ministers had to cancel a scheduled meeting. District administration offices, sub-divisional administration, agriculture directorate, education and sport directorates and district courts and three schools could not function on Tuesday. Movement of traffic in the city has been affected and entry points of important government offices were also blocked.After meeting with governor Tathagata Roy, BJP called off the blockade programme after 13 hours on Tuesday evening.On the other hand, IPFT agitators turned violent after the Centre refused to meet their representatives.The blockade will continue until a reasonable solution is arrived at, the IPFT said.

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