Tipra Motha Party (TMP) staged a massive apolitical rally in Agartala demanding the identification, detention, and deportation of illegal infiltrators from Bangladesh and Myanmar. Led by Ranjit Debbarma, the protest criticized the BJP government for inaction and urged strict enforcement of the Centre’s 2025 deportation directive to protect Tripura’s indigenous communities.
The Tipra Motha Party (TMP), a BJP ally in Tripura, staged a massive rally in Agartala on Monday demanding the deportation of illegal migrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar. The demonstration, which drew thousands of supporters from across the state, was marked by its apolitical nature—participants carried only the national tricolour, with no party symbols on display.
Led by senior TMP leader and MLA Ranjit Debbarma, the rally began from RS Bhavan and marched through key roads of the city, culminating at Swami Vivekananda Maidan. Protesters chanted slogans urging strict action based on directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on the identification, detention, and deportation of undocumented foreign nationals.
Addressing the crowd, Debbarma said, “This is not a political rally. I stand here not as an MLA, but as a citizen of Tripura who is deeply worried about the demographic changes threatening the future of our indigenous people.” He accused the ruling BJP-led state government, under Chief Minister Manik Saha, of engaging in vote-bank politics while ignoring pressing national security issues.
Debbarma referred to past and present MHA directives on deportation, asserting that previous orders in 1971, 2017, and 2021 were ignored. He credited the Centre’s 2025 directive to his recent communication with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for taking a bold stand. “This time the order must be executed. The Centre has spoken, and it’s time the state acts,” he declared.
The TMP leader called for collective unity beyond political or religious affiliations. “This issue affects every community—tribals, Bengalis, Hindus, Muslims. We must come together to defend our land, identity, and future,” he said. He also drew comparisons with international standards, saying, “If undocumented Indians can be deported from the United States in chains, India must act with equal decisiveness.”
TMP supremo and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, although expected to attend, could not join due to an urgent visit to Delhi. However, he had earlier announced that TMP leaders would soon meet with the Union Home Minister to press for stricter enforcement of immigration laws in Tripura and other northeastern states.
Echoing the sentiment, Forest and Environment Minister and TMP leader Animesh Debbarma said last month that infiltrators would not be allowed to stay in Tripura under any circumstances. He reiterated that anyone who entered the state illegally after March 1971 must be deported.
Chief Minister Manik Saha, responding to the growing discourse, had previously said that security agencies are vigilant along the Indo-Bangladesh border and that Tripura is no longer considered a “safe zone” for infiltrators. The state shares an 856-km-long border with Bangladesh, making it highly susceptible to illegal cross-border migration.
To curb infiltration, the state government has coordinated closely with the Border Security Force (BSF) and other intelligence agencies. Meetings have been held recently to review border security, with most of the border now fenced to prevent trans-border crimes and illegal entry.
The situation in Bangladesh, which has seen internal unrest since June-July 2024 following the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, has heightened concerns about new waves of migration. TMP leaders argue that these developments make it even more urgent for India to secure its borders and deport infiltrators already residing within its territory.
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Monday’s rally marked the continuation of TMP’s statewide anti-infiltration campaign launched last month. The overwhelming turnout and absence of party flags underscored the protest’s non-partisan nature and widespread public support. It also signaled a rising political and civil pressure on the state government to take visible action on the infiltration issue.
As Tripura faces evolving demographic, security, and socio-economic challenges, TMP leaders have vowed to continue their movement until all illegal infiltrators are deported, ensuring the protection of indigenous rights and regional stability.
