Tipra Motha Party (TMP) chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma on October 6 called on the Centre to begin implementing the Tiprasa accord, saying the government must fulfil its commitments to Tripura’s indigenous population.
His appeal came a day after the NDA recorded a strong performance in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) village committee elections.
The elections, held after nearly a decade, covered 4,594 seats across 587 village committees. According to official results, the TMP won 3,428 seats, while the BJP secured 859 seats and its ally, the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), won 33 seats.
DEBBARMA THANKS VOTERS
Debbarma thanked voters for supporting the TMP and said the elections would pave the way for the restoration of elected village-level bodies across the tribal council areas.
He also recalled the legal battle over the elections, saying the matter had first been pursued before the Tripura High Court and later the Supreme Court. Following the apex court’s directions, the State Election Commission eventually conducted the polls.
With the village elections now concluded, Debbarma said the priority should shift towards implementing the agreement reached between the Centre, the Tripura government and the TMP in March 2024.
The Tiprasa accord was aimed at addressing development-related and other concerns of Tripura’s indigenous communities.
‘HONOUR THE COMMITMENT’
Debbarma said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had assured him during a meeting in Delhi that the implementation process would begin after Durga Puja, in the presence of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha.
“We hope the Centre honours the commitment given to the people of the tribal areas,” Debbarma said.
He added that indigenous communities had been waiting for the agreement to be implemented and said prolonged delays could affect the TMP’s ability to seek their support in the 2028 Tripura Assembly elections.
TMP EMPHASISES LAND RIGHTS
Debbarma also stressed that the TMP’s position was not directed against any community living in Tripura.
He said maintaining social and communal harmony was important for the state while simultaneously protecting the constitutional and legitimate rights of indigenous people.
Among the issues he highlighted was land rights in areas under the TTAADC. He argued that indigenous communities should receive protection for their land and other legitimate rights, referring to safeguards available in other Sixth Schedule areas of the Northeast.
“We are not speaking against any community residing in our small state, but legitimate rights, including land rights, must be protected for indigenous people in tribal council areas,” he said.
TTAADC COVERS LARGE PART OF TRIPURA
The TTAADC, currently governed by the TMP, covers nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s geographical area and plays a significant role in administering tribal-majority areas of the state.
With village committees now set to be restored following the elections, the implementation of the Tiprasa accord is expected to remain a key issue in Tripura’s tribal politics.