‘Betrayal to tribals of Tripura’: GMP slams TIPRA Motha after MLAs take oath as ministers in BJP-led government

GMP added that Motha used tribal sentiments to gain political mileage.

Speaking at the CPI(M) headquarters in Agartala, former minister and GMP leader Naresh Chandra Jamatia said, “It seems that by joining hands with the BJP-led state government, the TIPRA Motha is endorsing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) introduced by the saffron party.”

Recently, Union Home Minister Amit Shah had said that CAA would be implemented across the country ahead of the Lok Sabha election.

Jamatia further said TIPRA Motha, in the initial period, organised rallies for their party’s core demand of creation of Greater Tipraland or for a Constitutional solution to the problems faced by the tribal population in the state. “But the tripartite agreement signed between the Centre, state government and TIPRA Motha didn’t have anything about any demand or any time frame for chalking out solutions,” Jamatia said.

Later, a former chief executive member of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and senior GMP leader said that the TIPRA Motha joining the government is the “initiation of the party’s downfall”.

The leaders said Motha’s core principles have been compromised after it joined hands with the BJP government.

As per the tripartite accord, a Joint Working Group or Committee formed with representatives from all three sides is expected to work out and implement the mutually agreed points to ensure an “honourable solution”.

Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma explained that he decided to join the government to get benefits for tribals since he feels the BJP will return to power and can grant tribals of Tripura their rights.

However, he said that if the government doesn’t deliver, the TIPRA Motha ministers would not sit back silently and if needed, they would resign and return to their party fold to stand with the people.