TIPRA elated after signing tripartite agreement to address tribal issues in Tripura

Tripartite agreement signed to address issues of Tripura's indigenous people, TIPRA refrains from protests until resolution reached.

The government of India, the government of Tripura, and the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) signed a tripartite agreement on March 2 to address the issues faced by the indigenous people of Tripura, who make up 33% of the population. The signing ceremony was attended by Union Home Minister Amit Shah among others.

The agreement contains the formation of a joint working committee to resolve issues related to the history, land rights, political rights, economic development, identity, culture, and language of the indigenous people of the State. TIPRA, also known as TIPRA Motha, has agreed to refrain from any form of protest until a solution is reached in a timely manner.

The agreement was signed by TIPRA founder and royal scion Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, party President Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl and Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Animesh Debbarma on behalf of their party. Chief Secretary J.K. Sinha and Additional Secretary (NE) of the Ministry of Home Affairs Piyush Goyal represented the Tripura government and the Central government in the agreement.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, and two tribal Ministers of his cabinet - Bikash Debbarma and Sukla Charan Noatia were present at the signing event. The Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues had travelled to New Delhi the previous evening following progress in talks between the TIPRA delegation and MHA officials.

Celebrations broke out in Khumulwng, the headquarters of the tribal autonomous district council, 12 kilometers east of Agartala, and in several other places following the signing of the agreement in New Delhi. TIPRA supporters danced, set off firecrackers and chanted slogans to praise the “Bubagra” (King) for achieving “a constitutional solution to their longstanding problems.”

The agreement signed on Saturday did not specify a timeline for the formation of the joint working committee, but a senior TIPRA leader stated that it would be done next week. He added that the committee will include representatives from the MHA, the Tripura government, TIPRA and the IPFT, which is an alliance partner of the BJP in the ruling coalition.

The signing of the agreement occurred three days after Pradyot Manikya launched a fast unto death protest at Hatai Kotor (formerly Boromura Hills) in west Tripura to protest the central government’s alleged reluctance to provide a constitutional solution to the problems faced by the indigenous people. Within an hour of starting his protest, he announced that he had received a call from the MHA and left the venue for Delhi.