Agartala, May 30:
Ahead of proposed visit of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the crucial Village Council elections in Tripura, ruling NDA ally TIPRA Motha Party has once again sharpened its attack on the BJP-led state government over alleged inaction against illegal infiltration from Bangladesh and the slow implementation of the historic Tiprasa Accord.
Senior TIPRA Motha leader and MLA Ranjit Debbarma has renewed his demand for immediate measures to detect, detain and deport illegal foreigners, particularly Bangladeshi nationals and Rohingyas, claiming that Tripura has failed to adopt the strict enforcement measures seen in other BJP-ruled states.
The issue has gained fresh momentum amid indications that Union Home Minister Amit Shah may visit Tripura during the first week of June, including a possible inspection of border areas along Bangladesh.
Debbarma, who wrote a letter to Shah, has expressed his intention to seek a meeting with the Home Minister to place before him what he described as the growing concerns of indigenous communities regarding unchecked infiltration and demographic changes.
Tripura, which shares an 856-km international border with Bangladesh and is surrounded by the neighbouring nation on three sides, has long witnessed political debates over illegal migration. Indigenous organisations and tribal political groups have repeatedly argued that large-scale migration over decades has altered the demographic profile of the state and adversely affected the rights of the indigenous population.
Speaking to reporters, Debbarma has questioned why Tripura has not witnessed large-scale drives against illegal settlers despite the BJP-led governments in states such as Assam undertaking eviction and anti-encroachment operations.
He has alleged that the state administration has failed to effectively identify and act against illegal immigrants residing in Tripura as due to vote bank politics.
Apart from the infiltration issue, the TIPRA Motha MLA is also expected to raise concerns over the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord signed between the Centre, the Tripura government and TIPRA Motha in March 2024.
More than two years after the agreement, several provisions relating to the socio-economic, cultural and political aspirations of indigenous communities are yet to be fully implemented, according to party leaders.
The renewed intervention comes at a politically significant moment. The upcoming Village Council elections, expected within the next two months following directions from the Supreme Court, are being viewed as a key test of grassroots support for both BJP and TIPRA Motha within the ruling alliance.
Debbarma alleged that following the BJP’s major setback in the recently concluded TTAADC elections, where TIPRA Motha secured a resounding victory, the State Election Commission is now apprehensive of a similar outcome in the upcoming Village Council elections.
He claimed that the Commission is attempting to delay the polls by citing baseless post-election violence allegations seeking additional Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) to ensure peaceful voting.
According to Debbarma, this stance contradicts Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha’s repeated assertion that Tripura ranks among the states with the lowest crime rates in the country, as reflected in the latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report.
By foregrounding issues of illegal infiltration and implementation of the Tiprasa Accord, TIPRA Motha is seeking to again consolidate its tribal support base while simultaneously increasing pressure on its coalition partner BJP to deliver on commitments made to indigenous communities.
With the Home Minister’s likely visit approaching and election preparations gathering pace, the twin issues of border security and indigenous rights are set to dominate Tripura’s political discourse in the coming weeks.
