Agartala, February 3:
Ahead of the crucial elections to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Tuesday alleged that a “systematic conspiracy” is underway to weaken the constitutional powers of the ADC and deprive indigenous people of their land rights.
Addressing party leaders and supporters during a live social media broadcast ahead of the party’s Foundation Day on February 5, Debbarma urged workers to organise programmes in every block and village and make people aware of what he termed a larger plan to dilute the Sixth Schedule safeguards.
“There is a complete conspiracy going on to weaken the ADC for which our leaders struggled and sacrificed so much. They do not want to give us our land rights. I now strongly suspect why they are refusing to grant these rights,” he said.
Recalling the sacrifices of tribal stalwarts who fought for the formation of the autonomous council, Debbarma said any attempt to undermine the ADC amounts to an attack on the identity and future of the Tiprasa people.
“The ADC was created to protect the rights of the indigenous people. If the ADC is weakened, it will become easier for others to enter our areas and capture our land,” he warned.
Referring to alleged attempts of illegal land intrusion in Bishramganj under Sepahijala district, he said his party would take legal recourse.
“We will go to court and file cases because this is illegal. Our land is valuable and there may be plans to weaken the Sixth Schedule to bring big companies and push our people out,” he alleged.
Without naming the party’s ally in the state government and Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, Debbarma also expressed disappointment over recent remarks made by certain leaders targeting TIPRA Motha and its leadership.
“If you think we are corrupt or deserve jail, you have the power — arrest us. We are ready. But using such words against your own alliance partner hurts,” he said, adding that such hostility was never witnessed during earlier BJP administrations when Biplab Kumar Deb was the Chief Minister despite political differences.
He further accused sections of the administration of trying to portray Motha as an “enemy” and cautioned against “testing the patience” of the Tiprasa people.
On the language issue, Debbarma clarified that his party was not against Bengali but demanded optional question papers in English/Roman script for Class X and XII students who have been studying in that format.
“We only asked for an option so that our students can understand the questions and not fail. Their future should not be destroyed,” he said.
Calling the upcoming ADC elections a decisive battle, Debbarma appealed for unity beyond party lines.
“Money can come and go, but if land is lost once, it will never return. If our land goes, our politics and our existence will end,” he said, urging people to prioritise community interests over political differences.
Debbarma said he holds the Chief Minister in high regard and has full faith in Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, but cautioned that if he, his family, his party, and most importantly his community continue to be repeatedly targeted by a small section of the alliance partners, causing hurt and provocation, he would be compelled to reconsider his position.
Pradyot’s strong remarks signal deepening strains between the BJP and its ally TIPRA Motha, serving both as a warning and an appeal for intervention from the central leadership. While he expressed hope that the BJP’s top brass would step in to resolve the differences, the statement also appears to be a clear bid to consolidate support in the ADC areas ahead of the crucial district council elections.
With political temperatures rising over control of the tribal autonomous body that governs nearly two-thirds of Tripura’s geographical expanse, the developments raise a larger question — which direction is Tripura’s politics headed as alliances grow increasingly uneasy and the battle for the tribal heartland intensifies?
