The descendants of Tripura’s princely rules, who were exploited the poor tribals of the state during their 1400 years of rule are now with the help of corporate favours BJP in the streets seeking vote in the Lok Sabha elections, said the leader of opposition, Jitendra Chaudhury.

Opposition CPI (M) state secretary and leader of opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury speaking with media during a  memorial meeting for Kumari-Madhuti-Rupashari (Debbarma), three tribal girls, who were killed by the Royal Army for opposing 'Titun System' (tax collection) in Tripura's Khowai district's Padmabil area on March 28, 1949, alleged  that the rules of Tripura  had ruled the state for 1,400 years and mostly deprived the poor indigenous people of the state, who does not have clothes and food and they even did not not take any step for socio-economic development of tribals.

The rulers built structures like Ujjayanta Palace and Neermahal (lake palace), but did not take steps for economic improvement of tribals and through their army had collected forceful tax as per their wisdom.

He claimed the kings remained busy with personal welfare and amusement leaving their people barely with a piece of cloth, without education and food.

"The kings used to send their emissaries to ‘Mayals’ (villages) to collect tax as per their will through the 'Titun System' with elephants and horses, who had never walks and often sitting on the shoulders of poor villagers, but on the day of March 28, 1949, when brave Kumari-Madhuti-Rupashari Debbarma opposed the tax collection system of princely rules, they were killed by the Royal army", said Chaudhury.

After 75 years of the tragic and shocking incident, their descendants from Ujjayanta palace with different slogans to fool the poor people and promising Thansa (unity among tribals) have joined hands with the BJP and now seeking votes in an attempt to bring back exploitation, claimed Chaudhury  without naming Tipra-Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, who had formed Tipra-Motha and recently joined BJP led Tripura government. Pradyot's elder sister Kriti Singh Debbarma is now contesting from the Tripura East Lok Sabha seat (ST reserved) on BJP's lotus symbol.

Kriti Singh Debbarma, who has filed her nomination paper on Thursday to contest the election as BJP candidate stirred a controversy over her surname, who has education in Shillong and married to Yogeshwar Raj Singh of Rajkot royal family and lack of Tripura connections.

As per the records of the Election Commission of India (ECI), she was identified as Kriti Devi Singh and fought the 2018 Chhattisgarh assembly elections from Kawardha constituency as an independent candidate. But, now BJP has identified her as Kriti Singh Debbarma, whose nomination has triggered reactions in both BJP and in Tipra-Motha workers because she did not have much link with Tripura, even though she does not know the local language Kokborok.

However, Motha leaders clarified that Kriti Singh had an ST certificate at her father’s home address in the royal palace of Tripura.

Meanwhile, Chaudhury also said that paying tribute to Kumari-Madhuti-Rupashari is not merely a remembrance event observed throughout the state by CPI(M), the people who believe in democratic values must defeat the descendants of the princely regime and its ally BJP in the Parliamentary elections. This will be a true respect to martyrs of the state, said Chaudhury.