Tags:
Journalism of Courage
A day after the CPI(M) held a one-day state conference in Agartala, the party Tuesday said it was not opposed to ‘thansa’ (unity) – the slogan of TTAADC’s (Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council) ruling TIPRA Motha party, which is led by Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma.
Addressing a press conference in the state capital, CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhary said his party appreciates Motha’s success in bringing tribal youths together and making them feel proud of their own culture and identity. Chaudhary added that his party would support anyone demanding more development in the north-eastern state.
To political commentators, Chaudhury’s remarks came as a surprise as Left politics started in Tripura through the anti-monarchical struggle helmed by the Gana Mukti Parishad in the 1940s, during the rule of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, the last reigning king of Tripura.
Chaudhury’s ‘appreciation’ for Bir Bikram’s grandson and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma in bringing tribal youths together is being viewed as a crucial political statement from the Left camp.
“We want a constitutional solution. We don’t oppose (constitutional solution). People’s problems should be solved by constitutional ways. We are not against thansa. We want peace as well,” Chaudhury said.
The CPI(M) leader, however, said that while he was in favour of a constitutional solution for tribals, he doesn’t support dividing Tripura on ethnic lines.
“Tipraland or Greater Tipraland is a democratic demand. We aren’t saying it’s not democratic. Bifurcation of states happened leading to formation of Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Telangana. But it is not possible in Tripura owing to its geographical, social and cultural composition. Here what’s possible is constitutional amendment and further empowerment of the TTAADC,” Chaudhury said.
The CPI(M)’s state chief said his party would press for the ratification of the 125th constitutional amendment proposal, which has been pending in Parliament since September 2018.
“A Raj Bhawan abhiyan would be held by Gana Mukti Parishad and Tribal Youth Federation on June 11 demanding ratification of the 125th constitutional amendment, which is pending in Parliament. Once passed, it would provide more power and funds to the TTAADC,” he said.
Talking about the resignation of former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Chaudhury said Deb was removed just 10 months before the end of tenure of the incumbent government to distract people’s attention from real issues like degeneration of law and order and breakdown of democracy, among others.
Chaudhury also said BJP’s tribal ally Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT), which is facing internal dissension, was “misleading” tribal youths and trying to rile them up by promoting divisive ethnic sentiments.
The CPI(M) announced a series of political movements including state-wide agitation against inflation from May 25-31, a mass gathering to mark the state conference of CITU on May 28, and a rally on June 11 to press for a constitutional solution to the tribal issue.
The CPI(M) leader said the law-and-order situation in the state was precarious. He claimed Tripura witnessed 24 murders in the last 62 days, 19 suicides and unnatural deaths, 15 cases of domestic violence, and 107 incidents of snatching, among others.
Speaking to indianexpress.com, TIPRA Motha chief Pradyot Kishore said, “I welcome any demand which legitimizes our cause and movement. Our demand is a constitutional one. If political parties like the Congress and the CPI(M) feel more has to be done for tribals in Tripura, it’s a step in the right direction.”
