TIPRA Moatha Chairman and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman on Saturday dared the national political parties to face him in the electoral battles instead of applying divide and rule policy. Debbarman said he is ready to die but there would be no compromise with the interest of 13 lakh indigenous people of the state.
Addressing a public gathering organized at Swami Vivekananda stadium in Agartala, Debbarman said, “For the last seventy years, indigenous people of the state have been ignored, neglected and suffered. In our own land, our people are begging mercy of the political parties in power. This should not be the scene. I challenge the national parties of the state, if they can let them prove their strength in front of my party”.
The TIPRA Chief also took a dig at the ruling BJP and said, “The law and order of the state is in danger. Democracy is in peril. Incidents like rape have become a regular phenomenon. And, they (BJP) say the Maharaja is doing communal politics.”
Debbarman also took a swipe at the former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and tore down his poor Chief Minister image. “Manik Babu was in power for 25 long years. The national media gave him wide publicity for being the poor Chief Minister of the country who does not even have his own house. Go and see the living conditions of poor Tiprasa people. They are somehow managing in shabby thatched Kutcha houses. What did he do for us?”, he claimed.
Daring the national parties, he said, “if you have the guts then buy me. If you have the guts then try to thwart me. I am throwing a challenge to all. I am ready to face bullets but I will not do any compromise with our stand”.
Hamro Sikkim Party leader and former National Football team captain Baichung Bhutia also attended the rally. He said, “I have also founded a regional party in Sikkim. The regional parties play a crucial role in raising the demand of the public on a national level. Parties like us stand firm with the public in all critical conditions and never betray the people who give us love and support”.
TIPRA, is a regional political party that shot to the limelight after defeating BJP in the state’s only tribal district council and that too within three months of formation. The rally was well attended and noteworthy here, not only the tribals, people from different communities including Muslims and Bengalis had been seen attending the public gathering.
