Tripura Pradesh Congress received a significant morale boost when 7,423 voters from 1,437 families joined the party in a recent development. The influx of new members, predominantly hailing from tribal and ethnic groups within the state, has invigorated the party’s presence in Tripura.
Leading the welcome committee for the new members were Pradesh Congress president Asish Kumar Saha, MLA Sudip Roy Barman, and AICC secretary Szarita Laitphlang, among other party leaders. The fresh recruits are seen as a testament to the growing appeal of the Congress among indigenous communities.
Sudip Roy Barman, MLA and a prominent Congress figure, capitalized on the occasion, urging Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, leader of the TIPRA Motha party, to consider merging his party with the Congress. The proposition aims to unite efforts in advancing the rights and interests of the indigenous population in the state.
In a notable move, Congress also declared its support for the use of the Roman script for Kokborok, a language spoken by the indigenous people in Tripura.
Roy Barman emphasized the historical significance of the Congress party’s role in the state, highlighting that the Congress had previously supported the royal dynasty of Tripura. He expressed respect and admiration for Pradyot Kishore Debbarma and urged him to unite their efforts for the benefit of the indigenous communities.
The Congress party outlined several key issues it plans to address in support of the rights of the Tiprasa people, including the implementation of Article 275, Article 371 for the protection of indigenous rights, direct funding for the TTAADC (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council), a proposed change of name to the Tipra Territorial Council, and the adoption of the Roman script for Kokborok. These issues will be at the forefront of the Congress party’s agenda in the coming days.
Furthermore, a sit-in protest demonstration at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar during the winter session of Parliament in December is planned by the Adivasi Congress to advocate for these demands.
While voicing their concerns, Congress leaders did not mince words in criticizing the ruling BJP government, holding it responsible for what they labeled as the “destruction” of the state and country. They pointed to issues such as corruption, a lack of basic amenities, and overall distress among citizens under the BJP regime.
Congress MLA Roy Barman also drew attention to various social welfare schemes, asserting that the BJP had merely rebranded existing programs initiated by the Congress-led UPA government.
In closing, Roy Barman emphasized that the Congress party represents the only viable alternative capable of fostering the state’s development and the welfare of its people. He contended that Congress has a consistent track record of standing up for the rights of ordinary citizens and restoring democracy.
The event took an unexpected turn when Sudip Roy Barman fell ill during his speech and was promptly rushed to the hospital for treatment. The program continued with AICC secretary Szarita Laitphlang and TPCC president Asish Kumar Saha addressing the gathering, where they criticized what they saw as “wrongdoings” and “anti-people” policies of the BJP government.
Earlier in the day, Congress leaders and members paid their respects to Mahatma Gandhi at his memorial in the Gandhighat area of the state capital, marking the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti.
