The Tipra Motha Saturday threatened to withdraw its support from the BJP-led ruling coalition, citing the Tripura government’s alleged failure to implement the tripartite Tiprasa Accord and rein in illegal immigration from neighbouring Bangladesh.
In a press briefing, Tipra Motha MLA and rebel-turned-politician Ranjit Debbarma said the tribal party had waited for “over a year” to see some progress on the Tiprasa Accord.
“What is the point of being a part of the government? We have not left the demand of Greater Tipraland. The 125th Amendment Bill hasn’t been passed in Parliament, and by-elections for vacant seats in the ADC (Autonomous District Council) and ADC village committee elections are yet to be held. We are ready to withdraw support and leave the government because nothing has been done about implementing the Accord. We shall discuss with the central government for one last time before deciding,” Ranjit Debbarma further said.
The legislator added he had a discussion with Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma regarding the party’s political options, and the latter concurred with him.
Ranjit Debbarma further claimed that Pradyot Kishore’s younger sister and BJP MP Kriti Devi Debbarma had also agreed to resign from Parliament over the non-implementation of the Tiprasa Accord.
He, thereafter, announced that a delegation comprising 13 Tipra Motha legislators is scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on July 20.
Last year, the Centre, Tripura government, and the Tipra Motha signed a tripartite Tiprasa Accord, agreeing to “amicably resolve” all issues of the indigenous people of Tripura relating to history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, language, etc.
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MLA Ranjit Debbarma also described ‘unchecked illegal immigration’ as a ‘national threat’, and added that the BJP-led government failed to act on combating illegal immigration despite the Tipra Motha dispatching a series of letters on the issue to district magistrates, superintendents of police, and the chief minister.
However, just hours after Ranjit Debbarma said it was better to walk away from the ruling coalition instead of betraying the people, Pradyot Kishore said, “I have spoken to the chief minister (Dr Manik Saha) and told him respectfully that there is genuine frustration amongst the tribals. He has said that at his level, he is doing his best to implement the (Tiprasa) accord. He has also assured to speak with the central government at the right platform to bring about an amicable solution to the accord. We are waiting for 18 months and are hopeful that the promise made by the Government of India will be honoured.”
While clarifying that his party would not be leaving the government, Pradyot Kishore said, “I didn’t know what was said in the press conference. I shall talk to Ranjit Debbarma and ask what statement was given.”
Pradyot Kishore, however, said that a lot of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh are entering Tripura amid the prevailing situation in the neighbouring country and added that tribals in the villages are “frustrated” with the situation.
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Brushing aside MLA Ranjit Debbarma’s comments, the Tipra Motha founder said those were “statements made out of frustration”.
While most BJP leaders declined to comment on the controversy, former chief minister and Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb, who is known to be close to Pradyot Kishore, said Pradyot Kishore is the head of the Tipra Motha, and not Ranjit Debbarma.
“Ranjit Debbarma is not the supremo of Tipra Motha. No such decision of Tipra Motha has been informed to us. As far as I know, Tipra Motha supports the Union government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi… Ranjit babu is not the right person… Whatever Pradyot Kishore says is considered the party policy of Tipra Motha,” Deb said.
The former chief minister added that decisions on pending demands will be taken as per the ‘system’.
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Reacting to the apparent ‘flip flop’ of the Tipra Motha on the issue of continuing its alliance with the BJP, Tripura Opposition leader and CPI(M) politburo member Jitendra Chaudhury said, “Such incidents were bound to happen. The alliance between the BJP and the Tipra Motha was not formed based on proper principles. They agreed on things that they don’t principally agree on. So, it’s natural that they will have disillusionment. The high hopes created by Motha would also not be fulfilled, and it was bound to happen.”
Tripura can have a maximum of 12 cabinet members, but till recently it had only 10 cabinet members. Of these, eight were from the BJP, one from the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura, and one from the Tipra Motha. BJP MLA Kishor Barman took oath as a cabinet minister on Thursday, taking the tally to 11.
A section of political experts has, therefore, termed the threat to leave the ruling coalition as a bargaining chip for the Tipra Motha, which has been demanding three full-fledged cabinet berths for quite some time now. Notably, the Tipra Motha has the second-highest number of MLAs in the state after the BJP.
