Agartala: Except for Left-backed Ganamukti Parisad, all major tribal parties, including Tripura royal scion and Chairman of Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Pradyot Kishore Deb Barman, community leaders, NGOs, Civil Society members and opinion leaders of tribal society attended the first meeting for floating a joint movement committee convened by ruling BJP’s alliance partner Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) here Saturday.
Convener of the meeting IPFT general secretary and tribal welfare minister of Biplab Kumar Deb’s cabinet Mevar Kumar Jamatia said that the meeting was successful and ended with a positive note and very soon joint movement committee to press for the demand Tipraland and NRC to safeguard the native indigenous peoples of Tripura would be formed.
“The step has been taken considering the present situation of the state where we do feel a united move is required to safeguard the interest of indigenous people beyond any community or party. We are hopeful, whoever still left out from our movement would join hands directly or indirectly for the interest of our society,” Mevar pointed out.
“The meeting has resolved to go to Delhi at the end of this month and place a deputation to the central government. The demand of Tipraland of IPFT and Greater Tipraland of TIPRA are almost same; hence there is no problem to move together. TIPRA has it’s pre-scheduled demonstration at Jantar Mantar on Oct 23-24 next and followed by we shall meet union home minister Amit Shah and our voice will be the same but louder,” Pradyot Kishore stated.
He further clarified, “For the sake of Thansa (unity) for the development of indigenous population, we had the meeting and held a threat-beard discussion on the issues. We have to put our Tiprasa (indigenous) interest aside, keeping aside all personal and party interests. And, we won’t compromise on our aims and objectives.”
Realignment of tribal parties including IPFT with the upraise of TIPRA after capturing Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) has further increased owe for the ruling BJP in the state, which has been suffering from factional squabble and severe dissidence for last two years. The meeting was significant at a time when IPFT became a dwindling force in the hill and a few of their MLAs and leaders were in the process of joining BJP.
The IPFT leaders have been accusing BJP central leadership of cheating them, as the latter party yet to comply with their commitment had made before last assembly elections for striking alliance to solve socio-economic, cultural and linguistic problems of the tribal of Tripura believing of which indigenous people had voted IPFT to power.
