Agartala: TIPRA Motha Chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma said on Monday that the party would consider “all options” if talks regarding the Greater Tipraland issue failed.
Debbarma had recently met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi and reportedly expressed the ‘restlessness’ felt by the indigenous people of Tripura.
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During a media interaction, Debbarma revealed that the Motha delegation had presented their points to the Home Minister.
He said that they were solely interested in a constitutional solution for Greater Tipraland, and requested that the community and the Tiprasa (Tripuri tribal) be granted something before discussing government representation.
In a subtle indication that they would explore alliances with opposition parties if the BJP failed to meet their demands, Pradyot said, “If our demand is not met, we have all options open… and we have communicated this to them. Tiprasa people have been suffering for 70 years, and we have made a commitment to them that we will not participate in the government until this commitment is fulfilled. Our primary demand is the formation of Greater Tipraland within the Constitution. The issue of the Roman script is of paramount importance to us, and the Home Minister is aware of it.”
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Debbarma also mentioned that they discussed the appointment of an interlocutor to address the issues faced by the state’s tribal population. He added that Shah acknowledged the delay in the interlocutor process due to the violence in Manipur.
Referring to the possibility of TIPRA Motha joining the ruling BJP alliance in the state, Pradyot stated, “I do not wish to discuss it further. I will not repeat the same mistake as IPFT, who entered the government in 2018 without considering the needs of our people. They became ministers, while we received nothing for five years.”
Regarding the uniform civil code (UCC), the TIPRA Motha Chief expressed his stance, saying, “If it pertains to women’s issues or their safety, they should be protected… There should be equal laws against crimes committed against women.”
Debbarma also emphasized the importance of preserving the customary laws of tribals in the Northeast.
Meanwhile, in response to former Tripura tribal affairs minister and BJP legislator Rampada Jamatia’s statement suggesting the cancellation of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for indigenous people who convert, Pradyot Kishore reacted on his social media page.
He wrote, “We are already a minority in our own state, and now you want to further divide us in the name of religion? Religion should be a personal matter, while the community should remain united! Furthermore, Bikash Debbarma and Sukla are practicing Christian ministers in the government; perhaps they should also have the courage to clarify their position on this issue. As a practicing Hindu, I disagree with Rampada.”