Agartala: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Kongkal Sangma urged the indigenous communities of Northeast India to join hands leaving aside all differences to ensure a constitutional solution for the tribals of the region while addressing a mammoth rally at Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) headquarters Khumlung organized by the principal opposition party of the state TIPRA Motha on Saturday.
Sangma along with a group of MLAs from Meghalaya has joined the rally to express solidarity and extend support to the fight for greater Tipraland and constitutional solution for the indigenous communities of the state, have been persuaded by Motha and its key leader Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman.
“Despite minor differences among the tribal communities of the Northeast, our identity is similar to the rest of the country. Although we are identified as a Northeastern community by Delhi, our issues are not dealt with together. As a result, indigenous people of the region have been facing multiple problems and the time has come to become united and raise voice for our rights,” Sangma said.
Appreciating the ‘Thansa” (unity) move of Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, he said efforts have been made to unite all the indigenous people and communities of eight states of the region beyond narrow political interest and power game to spread the voice loudly for the development and ensuring the rights of the people of Northeast and added, “We shall move together to Delhi for our people.”
Addressing the gathering Pradyot expressed dissatisfaction towards media for not ventilating the issues and challenges of the indigenous communities of the Northeast properly rather than giving more space to fight in Israel, Palestine, Pakistan, and the small issues of the so-called mainland. He alleged that not only the politicians but the people of Northeast have been marginalized by all other institutions and as a result, the sufferings of the people remain.
The atrocities and crisis of Manipur are not reflected in the media properly, Pradyot alleged.
He, however, criticized a section of tribal leaders saying that some leaders keep on changing the parties when not get tickets, or sell to other big parties for money, post, or position forgetting the commitment to their people.
“This time if anybody switches over compromising the interest of the communities, Tiprasa (tribal) will burn down their houses and property,” Pradyot threatened adding that power is temporary, but rights are permanent for the future.
The leaders must remember they are free to choose the party but not compromise beyond the community interest; otherwise, the next generations of tribal will be marginalized and betrayed, he warned and added, “We are poor but not baggers.”
ADC administration is under TIPRA Motha’s rule but Chief Executive Member always begs for money from the state government. The people are dying 30 –km away from Agartala due to lack of treatment. We shall not allow this to continue anymore,” Pradyot stated.
