Agartala: Tipra Motha founder and head of the Tripura royal family, Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, on Monday called on the people of Tripura to draw inspiration from Maharaja Bir Bikram’s ideals and work towards restoring the state’s dignity and unity.
Addressing the gathering, Pradyot highlighted that societal divisions based on caste, community, language, and religion have weakened Tripura.
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“We have divided ourselves into Debbarman, Jamatia, Reang, Kalai, tribal, non-tribal, Bengali, Hindu and many other identities. This is why we lack the strength to speak for ourselves while outsiders set our agenda,” he said.
He stressed that politics should not create divisions among communities, citing Nagaland as an example, where festivals are celebrated together despite political differences. Pradyot also clarified that the presence of his cousin, Pratik Debbarma, at the event should not be seen as politically motivated.
The programme, organised by INTACH’s Tripura chapter at Manikya Enclave, included a photo exhibition and the release of commemorative postal covers honouring Maharaja Bir Bikram on the eve of his birth anniversary.
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Recalling the ruler’s legacy, Pradyot said Maharaja Bir Bikram was internationally respected, having once been honoured by the American President. Mahatma Gandhi had approached him twice—once to shelter riot victims from Bangladesh and again to provide food to famine-affected Bengal. The Maharaja also extended support to Rabindranath Tagore.
“Maharaja Bir Bikram left us at the age of 39, but even before India’s Constitution came into force, he had introduced a democratic framework in Tripura by drafting its own constitution and delegating powers,” Pradyot noted.
He added that Tripura maintained its sovereignty throughout history, resisting invasions by both the Mughals and the British. “Our land was never conquered; it merged with India by choice. This is a heritage of strength and resilience which we must preserve,” he said.