AGARTALA: Tensions are rising between the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura, as TIPRA leaders expressed growing dissatisfaction over the sluggish pace of implementing the Tripura tripartite agreement.
Key leaders within TIPRA have voiced their frustration, accusing the BJP of not prioritizing the implementation of the tripartite agreement, which was seen as crucial for addressing longstanding issues affecting indigenous communities in Tripura.
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“We are deeply disappointed with the BJP’s lack of seriousness in fulfilling the commitments made under the tripartite agreement,” stated TIPRA president Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl.
The tripartite agreement, signed earlier this year, to address issues related to land rights, political representation, and socio-economic development for indigenous communities of Tripura, was hailed as a landmark step towards reconciliation and progress.
However, TIPRA leaders allege that the BJP’s approach has been lacklustre, with little tangible progress made since the agreement’s inception.
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“The BJP’s failure to expedite the implementation process is a betrayal of the trust placed in them by indigenous communities,” added another TIPRA leader.
As tensions escalate, there are murmurs within TIPRA about the possibility of severing ties with the BJP if concrete steps are not taken to honour the tripartite agreement’s commitments promptly.
“We cannot continue to be part of an alliance where our core concerns and the welfare of indigenous people are side-lined,” stated a prominent TIPRA leader.
Furthermore, the TIPRA party in Tripura is set to participate in the forthcoming three-tier Panchayat elections in the state independently.
In a voice message, Pradyot Debbarma, the former chairman of the TIPRA party, announced that the party will contest the upcoming Panchayat elections in Tripura.
“I urge my leaders and workers to think beyond the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), as many Tiprasa people live outside the district council. To bring them into the Greater Tipraland, we must fight for their rights,” he said.
Pradyot noted, “Several parties and individuals are keen to collaborate with us for the village committee election. However, the same parties question why a regional party like ours should engage in areas outside the district council. Why not? Why can’t the Tipra Motha Party grow into a larger entity?”
He stated that if national political parties can operate within district council areas, then Tipra Motha can certainly function in local regions.
“This entire state was once ours. Our limited thinking has confined us to small gains. Prepare for the Panchayat polls, identify honest and sincere candidates, and I will support them. We must take bold steps, or we will be left behind. We need individuals with a clear vision to serve others, not those who are corrupt and tarnish their village’s reputation,” he stated.