Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma Thursday announced he would move the Supreme Court over the ‘denial’ of land rights and customary laws to indigenous people in Tripura.
Pradyot Kishore wrote on his social media handle, “Tomorrow (Friday) I am going to file another case in the Supreme Court regarding our land and customary bills, which have been denied to the indigenous people by successive governments. DM (district magistrate) cannot decide the fate of our people at the instruction of their bosses. The Governor is the custodian of (the) 6th schedule and he too has to act in the interest of our people. I also want to thank all the officers and lawyers who have at the risk of losing their jobs helped me compile this legal case in the SC.”
Earlier this month, the Tipra Motha had claimed that a total of 37 Bills passed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) are still pending with the state government and the Governor. The bills are mostly concerning the customary laws of different tribes. In Tripura, the government recognises 19 indigenous tribal communities.
The Tipra Motha had earlier stated that it would approach the apex court seeking its intervention in clearing these Bills.
The Tipra Motha was formed in February 2021, and it won the TTAADC polls held within a couple of months. The party also contested in the 2023 Assembly polls and emerged as the main Opposition. However, the Tipra Motha joined the BJP-led NDA just before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, following a tripartite agreement between it, the Centre, and the Tripura government on resolving all issues of the indigenous people.
The accord was expected to resolve several issues related to tribals, including the recognition of customary laws.
Meanwhile, TTAADC polls are also expected to be held early next year. TTAADC elections are conducted at two levels – one at the council level, which is the policy-making body.
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The second level comprises the village committees and is comparable to the three-tier panchayati raj system. The elections to the village committees have been pending since 2021. The Tipra Motha filed petitions protesting against the delay with the Tripura High Court, which ruled in favour of conducting the elections, but the polls have not been held till date. Recently, the Supreme Court has taken up a separate petition on the same issue, and the hearing on the matter is scheduled for later this month.
