Agartala: Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma has declared that his party is prepared to stay out of power in Tripura if the promises made to them remain unfulfilled. His statement comes amid growing dissatisfaction over the delay in addressing key demands concerning the rights and welfare of indigenous communities.
The TMP, which emerged as a major regional force by winning 13 seats in the 2023 Tripura Assembly elections, initially fought independently before later aligning with the BJP-led coalition government ahead of last year’s Lok Sabha elections. However, in a video message posted on Facebook to mark the party’s foundation day, Debbarma expressed frustration, stating that the commitments made to them appear to have been broken.
“What did we seek? We demand rights for security, land, education, identity, direct funding (to the Tripura Autonomous District Council), and culture, which are not against the country. It seems some are betraying us,” he said. He further emphasized that TMP’s participation in governance was not for power but for securing the rights of indigenous people. If those rights are not granted, he asserted, there is no justification for remaining in power.
Addressing party MLAs and district council members, Debbarma urged them to be mentally prepared to take a decisive stand when required. He also voiced concern over the prolonged delay in holding elections to village committees in tribal council areas, adding that such inaction was detrimental to the region’s governance and indigenous representation.
In a broader political remark, he warned that Tripura’s failure to ensure indigenous rights could lead to instability, drawing a comparison to Bangladesh, where, according to him, rising attacks on minorities have pushed the country closer to Pakistan. He cautioned that historical patterns indicate that while peaceful demands face delays, governments often act swiftly in response to unrest.
Debbarma reiterated his appeal to the government to deliver a concrete resolution to the demands of the Tiprasa people, stressing that TMP has exercised patience for over a year. He called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah to fulfill their commitments, stating that the future of Tripura’s indigenous communities cannot remain in limbo indefinitely.