George Orwell was prophetic when he in his masterpiece of political satire ‘Animal Farm’ said, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others”.
All the Maharajas of Tripura always commanded high respect and reverence from both the tribal and Bengalis alike. However, unfortunately, now this is for the first time in the history of Tripura that a Maharaja’s effigy is being burnt or, posters having his pictures are put on flame—that too by the indigenous people of the state who felt their Bubagra, Pradyot Manikya Debbarman, TIPRA Motha founder, led them to the garden path- in simple term ‘deceived’ them—and at the end of the day preferred to serve his own ‘family interest’. For many of them he turned his ‘Puila Jati, Ulo party (first the community then the party) that once resonated in the hills into a farcical ‘Puila Family, Ulo Jati’. With successfully bargaining for and finally fielding his own elder sister Kriti Singh as BJP candidate in the East Tripura seat the grumbling is now going to grow stronger.
For any keen eyes it was coming. It happened to all who sought to ride the tiger. Pradyot Manikya could not be an exception.
Fact remains, he is now facing massive reactions from the people—whom he like a ‘true Maharaja’ used to call his ‘warriors’. Everyday reports are pouring in, voice of serious frustration and disappointments being raised by not only a section of TIPRA Motha leaders but also common indigenous people—who felt that they were simply deceived by their Bubagra. If the reports from the rural areas were any indication, and political observers were to be believed, situation would turn worse as his elder sister Kriti Singh was given nomination in the East Tripura Lok Sabha on the BJP ticket.
Once Pradyot Kishore used to play with the emotion, a la Mark Antony, of the common indigenous people – with high decibel rhetoric against the Bengalis calling them all ‘Bangladeshis’ and alleging that they took away the ‘tribal land and caused all the ‘miseries’. History was never his subject. Truth was conveniently put under the carpet while hatred and emotion played the key. He fomented fierce emotion, triggered wild hatred against the Bengalis—and as if in a demonstrative gesture and to send a message he made Ranjit Debbarma, ATTF leader, his shadow from the beginning and later also an MLA. He put forward an absurd demand like ‘Greater Tipraland’—the concept though remained always unclear. Later, as he could make out this demand was not going to work he came down to ‘Constitutional solution’ -an ambiguous term as by any means any solution required to be ‘Constitutional’– none so far heard of any ‘unconstitutional solution’ whether big or small, significant or insignificant. Then came the demand of ‘a written assurance from the centre’. As nothing was still happening and neither Central government nor the state government seemed to be in a mood to listen to him- a sort of whiffler- and there were evident disappointment and desertion in the party for the ‘delay’, he got struck in an impasse.
In the meantime, the ruling BJP also seemed concerned with the East Tripura Lok Sabha seat and Delhi brought out the carrot front its sleeve. Pradyot Manikya on the other hand was just waiting for it and he rushed to New Delhi to pick that carrot up. He signed a paper which he called an agreement—‘Historic agreement’- though there was nothing historic nor in a strict sense it was an agreement at all. It was simply a paper of three paragraphs with some uncertain and unclear assurances where even the name of the TIPRA Motha was not written properly. Nevertheless, it was a desperate moment and Pradyot Manikya was left with no other option. He just took the cue from his predecessor in the game –late NC Debbarma and played the same to save the face. He signed it, ended ‘fast unto death’ and claimed something ‘Historic’ he achieved—it was though altogether a different matter that truth dawned amongst his ‘warriors’ and local level ‘commanders’, within days when they saw the paper and discussed it.
Then came the second part, TIPRA Motha joined the state government with two ministers.
Things have been compounded with the CAA notification. According to the so called ‘tripartite agreement’, TIPRA Motha cannot go for any agitation or protest – so, even as Pradyot Kishore known for his vociferous opposition to the CAA – he even filed a case
in the Supreme Court- he has nothing to do now. A Catch-22. But, the entire situation only added fuel to resentment among the followers against him.
In the meantime, the BJP in its single minded agenda to capture both the West Tripura and East Tripura seats was also desperate not to take any chance and was playing with the idea of bringing all the TIPRA Motha votes in its kitty.
Pradyot Manikya was also not going to miss the opportunity. He projected his elder sister Kriti Singh, wife of Yogendra Singh of Kawardha, Chhatishgarh. Evidently, Pradyot Manikya always kept his own family in mind whenever a face in the Parliament was in question. Earlier also he managed to get his eldest sister Prajna Debbarman contesting from the East Tripura seat in the LS Polls with Congress ticket.
But this time BJP has its own political strategy.
In a clever stroke BJP agreed and fielded Kriti Singh, Pradyot Manikya’s elder sister in the East Tripura constituency.
Pradyot Manikya claimed that someone should be in the Parliament who ‘could speak for the community’ as if no other TIPRA Motha leader was capable of speaking in the Parliament for the community- but his sister, who was never known to be a political individual.
What did not go amiss with his party leaders that many senior and matured TIPRA Motha leaders who could very well be a candidate for East Tripura seat were deprived for his family interest.
Besides, what Pradyot Manikya did not say that in the Parliament if elected her sister would have to raise the issues as approved and endorsed by her party—that is BJP. She just will not be able to raise Greater Tipraland demand in the Parliament as a BJP MP. There would not be any TIPRA Motha representation in the Lok Sabha and in the ensuing poll campaigns also all will be asking vote for the BJP, not for the TIPRA Motha or in the promises all will be BJP’s promises not the TIPRA Motha’s.
Kriti Singh was never a known name in Tripura and she seldom visited the state. She was also not known to have taken any interest in Tripura politics . She was also not seen in any TIPRA Motha programme in the past. But it did not matter for Pradyot Manikya whose personal political idea always ruled the roost. His ideas were always imposed upon the TIPRA Motha. Nevertheless, this time a section of ‘soldiers’ and a section ‘commanders’—who felt deceived all along were showing serious dissent and are grumbling. This is a matter of serious discomfort for Pradyot Kishore. Things will change fast –and, furious too.
It is, however, a different matter that TIPRA Motha is simply going the IPFT way.
(Also published in Tripura Times)
