“It has been 11 long years that our people have been languishing in sub-human conditions in relief camps in another state. Children are suffering from malnutrition, while most people do not have any source of income. We want to go back home as early as possible,” says Chorkhy. The Central Government has been providing them with foodgrain for over 10 years now.

Interestingly, political parties have been reaching out to these 35,000 refugees from Mizoram during elections. “I was there in the refugee camps in Tripura on Saturday and Sunday to seek votes of the Bru people for the Congress party,” says BK Handique, Union minister of state for chemicals and fertilisers here on Tuesday.

BJP national president Rajnath Singh drove down to north Tripura last week to seek votes from Bru refugees. Votes of the Bru refugees, interestingly, are spread over 10 Assembly segments. They are a deciding factor in at least three constituencies — Hachhek, Dampa and Mamit.