Tribal-based party Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), the main ally of the ruling BJP in Tripura, will hold a demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 23 to press the Centre to create ‘Tipraland’ or a separate state for the tribals by upgrading the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC). 

IPFT General Secretary Swapan Debbarma said that like previous years, they would hold sit-in demonstration at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi on August 23 to highlight their demand for a full-fledged ‘Tipraland’ or a separate state for the tribals by upgrading the TTAADC, which has jurisdiction over two-thirds of the Tripura’s 10,491 square km area and is home to over 12,16,000 people, of which around 84 per cent are tribals.

He said that amidst the day-long demonstration, they would give a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah once again about their demand of upgrading the TTAADC as a separate statehood as per Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

 “We have been demanding the ‘Tipraland’ for the past 15 years and in support of our demands we are holding numerous agitations in Tripura and in the national capital,” the tribal leader told IANS.

He said that the main purpose for which the TTAADC was constituted in 1982 has yet to be fulfilled in the past several decades.

Formed in the 1990s, the tribal-based party IPFT was floated with the purpose of forming ‘Tipraland’ for the indigenous tribals.

The party underwent several splits with its many leaders to join other parties including the Tipra Motha headed by former royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma.

It forged an alliance with the BJP and the coalition came to power in March 2018 Assembly polls defeating the CPI (M)-led Left Front after 25 years.

The Motha, which is now governing the TTAADC and also another ally of the BJP, has also been demanding its demand for ‘Greater Tipraland’ (a separate state for the tribals) under Articles 2 and 3 of the Constitution.

The ruling BJP, opposition CPI-M, and the Congress have been opposing the demands of both the IPFT and TMP.

Earlier in 2021, the IPFT along with Tipra-Motha held demonstrations at Jantar Mantar to press the Centre for a separate state for the tribals.

The IPFT’s lone MLA Sukla Charan Noatia is now a Cabinet minister of the Chief Minister Manik Saha-led coalition government.

After signing a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government on March 2, the opposition Motha joined the BJP-led coalition government on March 7 and two of its MLAs - Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma - became ministers. The BJP along with IPFT and the TMP together fought the recent Lok Sabha elections in Tripura.

*With Agency Inputs.