Agartala, January 17:
With the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) elections approaching in the next two to three months and amid visible strain within the ruling NDA alliance in the state, TIPRA Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma made a strong call for “Thansa” — unity among the indigenous population — warning that disunity could push future generations towards uncertainty and decline.
Addressing an honouring programme for community heads organised by the Tripur Kshatriya Samaj at Herma sports ground in Charilam under Sepahijala district, Debbarma urged indigenous people to set aside political and internal differences and unite to protect their rights, identity and future.
Recalling the era of the Manikya dynasty, the royal scion of Tripura said unity was once the greatest strength of the state.
“During royal times, neither the Mughals nor the British could defeat Tripura because of unity. At that time people had no money or education, yet they had faith in each other. Today we have mobiles, cars and money, but we have lost unity,” he said.
Warning of serious consequences, Debbarma said failure to unite at this juncture could prove disastrous for coming generations.
“If we do not come together now, our future generations will be doomed. This must be answered through Thansa, and that unity will happen one hundred percent,” he asserted.
Without naming Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Debbarma launched a sharp indirect attack over the ongoing controversy surrounding the script of the Kokborok language and the Chief Minister’s recent statement that BJP will not allow Roman script for Kokborok language.
He alleged that refusing to allow the Roman script was not a linguistic issue but a well-planned conspiracy to keep the indigenous Tiprasa people backward and poor.
The Motha supremo said while leaders’ children study in English-medium schools, poor indigenous children are being compelled to study in Bengali medium.
“Ministers, MPs and MLAs – those who say Roman script should not be allowed will send their own children to English-medium schools. But the children of poor Tiprasa families are denied that opportunity. This is a conspiracy to keep indigenous people backward and economically weak,” he said.
Debbarma further claimed that empowering Tiprasa youth through education would threaten vested political interests.
“They want to keep the Tiprasa people backward and continue ruling over them. If Tiprasa people rise, their political business will end. But Tiprasa are no longer fools — they understand everything,” he remarked.
During the programme, Debbarma revived a tradition of the erstwhile Manikya dynasty by honouring traditional community heads and elderly eminent personalities with specially customised silver-coated daggers (khanjars), symbolising respect, responsibility and leadership.
BJP MP Kriti Devi Singh, elder sister of Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, was also participated at the event.
Later, Debbarma also honoured several community leaders at his residence, continuing the age-old practice followed by the Manikya rulers of Tripura.
The remarks, delivered at a politically sensitive moment ahead of the TTAADC elections, are being viewed as a significant political signal, particularly as debates over tribal unity, language rights and educational opportunities continue to intensify across the state.
