The BJP-led Centre signed a tripartite agreement with the party-led Tripura government and the state’s main Opposition TIPRA Motha Saturday to address the TIPRA's demands regarding a “constitutional solution” to the tribals' problems. The accord brought an end to the fast-unto-death started by TIPRA founder and royal scion-turned-politician Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma from February 27 in the state. In an interview with The Indian Express, Pradyot Kishore spoke on a range of issues related to the accord and his roadmap. Excerpts: You signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government Saturday. You were on a “fast-unto-death” demanding a Greater Tipraland state. Were you surprised when the Centre called you to Delhi to sign the accord? The Centre was aware of the issues I had raised many times. Even before the Assembly election, they had called us but there was nothing in writing and my insistence was that while I do respect the higher authorities, I wanted it in writing so that at least I could explain to my people that this is the way ahead. And finally the Government of India's acknowledgment of the historical aspects… The Home Minister (Amit Shah) himself spoke about mistakes of the past and a roadmap to look ahead is something which could be comprehensive. So I am glad that this has happened. My fast was to draw notice that if someone whose grandfather, whose grandmother being a King had merged the entire state with India, how come their grandson today is having to go on a hunger strike to bring attention to the people of the rest of India that there is a serious problem which needs to be addressed. What are the finer points of the agreement? Land rights, political rights, economic rights, language which is very important and cultural and historical rectifications. A Committee is being formed, which is going to work under a time frame and will bring about all these legislative, economic and structural changes so that things can be smoothed out in this year and the coming year. Can you elaborate on all these aspects? Today the tribals (in Tripura) do not have any authority to issue their own patta for land unlike other places in North-east. That will be done away with. The Autonomous District Council is not getting a share of money despite 35% of population living in autonomous areas. That will be corrected as per population basis. We have been asking for our language to come under the Eighth Schedule. That matter will be addressed by the Union Government so that our language is brought under the Eighth Schedule along with a script, which we will choose, not what will be imposed on us. Economic rights. we will be able to send projects to the Centre for which the Centre will ensure allocation as per the population. And political rights means we would like larger representation in the political arena. And that will be looked into before the delimitation. But the accord falls short of your demand for a separate Greater Tipraland state and for autonomy for the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). It gives autonomy to TTAADC. Regarding my demand for Greater Tipraland, nowhere in the agreement it is written that will not be addressed. I have not backed down, nor have they (Centre).. It is nowhere written in the agreement that our demand will not be met. It is nowhere written that our demand will be met. But it is nowhere written that our demand will not be met. So in a sense you are viewing the agreement as perhaps the first step? It is the first step towards realisation of the aspirations of the indigenous people. It is a move towards the right direction. Most importantly, it is an acknowledgment by the Government of India on the historical injustice which has been meted out to the indigenous people of Tripura and now course correction has to be taken. So you are calling off your fast but the larger demand for a Greater Tipraland remains. I was a journalist myself for 13 years. I don't want to say anything that will upset anyone. But if you know anything about Pradyot… who has never asked anything for himself or compromised. I will keep watching how the accord is implemented. And if it is implemented….as long as the Constitution allows us to have a political aspiration, we will have. Your agitation has been called off? For the constitutional solution…we have got a constitutional solution. But we should not be celebrating too much also. We should be ensuring that within a time frame all these issues are addressed. So in sort of celebrating we should be getting serious and disciplined. You spoke about the Committee? A Committee will be formed. I would like the Committee to be not only consisting of politicians but people who are academicians, lawmakers, legal minds as well as people who have administrative background and people who have some background in education so that we can create a comprehensive, proper results in the days to come. Have the details of the Committee been shared with you? The details of the Committee have been given. I would not like to announce it till I don’t go back to talk to my people. I know the details of the Committee. The draft was already ready for a long time. What will be the political impact of this agreement? Lok Sabha elections are just round the corner. I have been fighting for this for five years. If I wanted I could have come in any post. In my party, in the Council or in the state government or even in the Lok Sabha. My agenda was very clear. I wanted to first deliver something for my people. A good leader always eats last. So now that I have done that, let me sleep first…I haven’t slept for 2-3 nights…I haven’t eaten, let me rest, let me go back and let me meet my mother. And then I will decide, first on my personal life and then on my political life. Is there any possibility of TIPRA Motha joining the NDA or entering into some sort of alliance with the BJP? As I said…personally if you ask me.. I would not like to be making that decision. But let me go back and talk to people because I may think that I am different but then there are other people who may have a different point of view. All five fingers are not the same. I think it would not be befitting right now for me to comment on anything till I don’t meet my people and till I don’t tell them what exactly we have got after such a long struggle. Nothing has come easy. I have had to face humiliation, I have had to face brickbats, I have gone through a lot of personal turmoil, not only political. And today if I have reached here, you have to realise that my grandmother signed the instrument of merger, that is how we become part of India…my grandmother was the Regent Queen when we decided to merge with India. Otherwise we had a chance of being with Pakistan. Today, her grandson has done something for the people. I, at least, feel that I have delivered for my community which is the tribal people.
