Tipra Motha, a regional party of Tripura which is in power in Tripura Tribal Area Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), held a public rally in Astabal Ground in Agartala on Saturday. The rally was held in support of party’s Greater Tipraland demand.
After an infamous public rally by IPFT, another regional party of the State in 2014 which witnessed large-scale chaos and violence by the unruly supporters, this is for the first time a regional party was allowed to conduct a rally. However, the Tipra Motha rally was peaceful and disciplined. Normal life of the capital city was not hampered due to rally.
Speaking on the occasion, Tipra Motha chairman Pradyot Kishore Debbarman reiterated his claim that Greater Tipraland demand is the Constitutional right of the Tiprasa (Indigenous) people.
“It is our Constitutional right to raise demand for Greater Tipraland. Tiprasa people remained deprived of many benefits during the last 72 years”, Debbarman said.
He further said, “Demand for Greater Tipraland cannot be substituted by the Government with ‘lollipops’. Erstwhile Congress Government in Centre promised to my father a lot – however, nothing was materialized”.
He also said, if no party recognizes the Greater Tipraland Demand, Tipra Motha will go solo in upcoming Assembly polls and put up candidates in 35 seats.
In this connection, Debbarman told the gathering that all the crucial political decisions of the party will be taken after consulting with supporters – there will be nothing hidden.
Supporting the demand, the chairman of Tipra Motha made it clear that their demand will not affect other communities.
“We are not against of any ethnic group including the Bengali people. Our fight is to fulfill the demand that stems from our Constitutional rights”, Debbarma said.
He called for thansa (Unity) among the different indigenous ethnic groups.