Protesters are demanding that the centre commits to bifurcating Tripura by 2026
For three days the demand for a 'Greater Tipraland' has been raised at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Some 1,500 activists and supporters of two major Tripura-based tribal regional political parties have launched a massive campaign in favour of their demand for a bigger tribal territory in Tripura.
Led by Pradyot Manikya Debburman, Tripura's royal scion and chairman of the largest regional political outfit of the state, TIRPA or Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance, the protest has gained strength after the ruling BJP's ally, Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), joined them.
Led by their leaders, hundreds of members of the two tribal-based parties took part in the demonstrations where Congress MP Jairam Ramesh and Shiv Sena's Deputy Leader in the Rajya Sabha Priyanka Chaturvedi took part. Aam Aadmi Party MP Sanjay Singh also visited the rally at Jantar Mantar.
The Congress, Shiv Sena and AAP have shown their support and solidarity to this protest.
Pradyot Manikya had earlier said that for all-round socio-economic development and protection of traditional life, culture and customs, "Greater Tipraland" is necessary and this can be done under the Constitution.
"Under the 'Greater Tipraland' concept, a powerful council would be constituted for the all-round socio-economic development of the indigenous tribal residing in the eight north-eastern states and neighbouring countries, including Bangladesh. Such councils exist in European countries. We want to resolve the tribals' basic problems permanently," Deb Barman told reporters.
The protesters are demanding that the centre commits to bifurcating Tripura by 2026, when a delimitation exercise is likely to be carried out. "If we don't get Greater Tipraland or a separate state for sons of the soil of Tripura, our future will be at stake," he said.
Debburman's party, TIPRA, has adopted the demand for a separate state as their main poll plank. They are in power at the Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) , a Sixth Schedule council for socio-economic development of tribals, and is considered as a mini-legislative assembly of Tripura in terms of its jurisdiction and constitutional power.
Tripura will go to polls in 2023. Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress is also flexing its muscles there. The Tipraland demand might turn crucial in the 20 tribal reserved seats out of the total 60, and might decide who form the next government there.