TIPRA Motha chief begins hunger strike demanding constitutional solution for tribals

Tripura’s opposition The Indigenous Peoples Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha party’s founder and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma began his hunger strike from Wednesday at Hatai Kotor near Agartala over constitutional solution for tribal communities in the state.
Debbarma’s TIPRA Motha have been demanding a separate state for tribals, over the issue of alleged under-development of tribals till now.
His announcement came on February 24, a day after his party held first round discussion with the Congress over forging greater opposition alliance against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
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Last week, Debbarma had held another round of discussion with the central government over the party’s demand for constitutional solution for the problems of the state’s tribal population.
Later, he appealed to the tribal people from all political parties to take part in his non-political movement. He also met Tribal Welfare (TRP and PTG) minister Shukla Charan Noatia and general secretary of Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) Swapan Debbarma at the minister’s official residence and appealed to join his movement.
Later, in a video message, he said, “There will be no flag of any political party at Hatai Kotor. There will be emotions of people and no political colour. This is a fight of the Tiprasa (Tripuri tribals) and not of any political party”.
Earlier, the TIPRA Motha said that they will talk with any political party who will agree to their demands of constitutional solution and development of the tribal population.
Stating that TIPRA Motha is fighting for the rights of tribals of the state, Pradyot later explained that TIPRA Motha party doesn’t either belong to the opposition INDIA alliance, or the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the Centre.
TIPRA was constituted in 2021 with the agenda of creation of Greater Tipraland, a separate state for the tribals living in the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and other northeastern states like Assam, Mizoram and also parts of neighbouring country Bangladesh.
Within a few months of its formation, the TIPRA Motha had contested and won the TTAADC polls.
The party later contested the 60-seated Assembly polls five months ago to emerge as the main opposition party securing 13 seats.