The TIPRA Motha Party, representing the opposition in Tripura, met with A.K. Mishra, the Centre’s envoy and advisor to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), to reiterate their demand for ‘Greater Tipraland.’ This demand pertains to the creation of a separate state under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.
After the meeting, Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, the leader of TIPRA Motha Party, stated, “We have placed our demands of ‘Greater Tipraland’ to the MHA Advisor, and now the ball is in the centre’s court. Centre should fulfil our demand, and they should come out clearly with their views.”
Responding to a question about whether the demand for adopting the Roman script for the Kokborok language was discussed, Debbarman clarified that all these issues were part of the Greater Tipraland demand. He drew a historical parallel, saying, “Pakistan tried to impose the Urdu language on the people of East Pakistan, and then the language movement started leading to the creation of sovereign Bangladesh. Similarly, tribal language should be respected by all, and we need our own script for the language of the indigenous people.”
A.K. Mishra, who also handles various tribal-related issues and demands in Nagaland and Manipur, had met with Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday to discuss various aspects. Saha recommended that Mishra engage with the tribal wings of all political parties, community elders, students, intellectuals, and others. Additionally, Saha briefed the MHA Advisor about the state government’s initiatives for the all-round development of the indigenous communities.
It is noteworthy that Pradyot Kishore Debbarman has held several meetings with Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha over the past few months. However, all of them have rejected the ‘Greater Tipraland’ demand, asserting that no division of Tripura would take place.
The BJP’s ally, IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura), has also been advocating for the upgrading of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) to a full-fledged state. The TTAADC, covering over two-thirds of Tripura’s area and home to a significant tribal population, holds substantial political importance as the second most significant constitutional body after the Tripura Assembly.
Political analysts suggest that both the TIPRA Motha Party and the IPFT, aiming to secure the tribal vote bank, consistently raise tribal-centric demands like the upgradation of the TTAADC as a separate state. However, they are aware that such demands may face challenges and might not be fulfilled due to various reasons. Both parties have organized agitations in both the state and Delhi in support of their separate state-like demands.
