BJP's tribal outreach in Tripura

"Remember who worked for the welfare of tribals, Congress and Left have only betrayed Tripura's people," Narendra Modi said in his speech in Tripura on February 11, warning Tripura that voting for other parties would mean undoing the progress the state has made in the last five years.

The speech by the Prime Minister made it clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is specifically trying to reach the tribal groups. The reason for this is speculated to be the sudden change in the political landscape in the state.

Tripura is a state where the BJP managed to end the 25-year era of the Left in the state in the 2018 Assembly polls. The state which swung from red to saffron, has new political dynamics this time. The emergence of Tripra Motha promising ‘Greater Tripraland’ with royal scion Pradyot Deb Barma at the forefront has shifted the focus back to the tribals of Tripura.

Tripura has around 20 seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes out of the total 60.

According to the 2011 census, the state has 31 per cent tribal population entailing 19 different communities. In the 2018 assembly polls, BJP in alliance with the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura won 18 seats with BJP winning 9 seats and IPFT securing 8 seats.

Also Read — Tripura polls: Greater Tipraland vs greater autonomy for tribals draw battlelines

With the speculation of regional outfits Tipra Motha and IPFT merging, BJP has adopted a focused approach towards the tribal population of Tripura.

As a part of this, on February 16, BJP published a ‘report card’ highlighting the work the party has done in the past five years for the tribal groups.

-The report card states that an international terminal was opened in the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport at Agartala.

-A project worth Rs. 1,300 crores has been approved for developmental activities in 23 tribal-dominated blocks.

-Decision to set up a Buddhist University at Sabroom with financial assistance from at least 51 countries.

-Kokborok language has been included as a CBSE subject in schools

-The Tripura tribal folk museum has been set up at Khumulwng, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTADC).

-Indigenous languages like Chakma, Garo, Manipuri and Bishnupriya included in schools.

-Apart from that in the BJP manifesto, the party promised a slew of projects aimed at tribal welfare, such as:

--Annual financial assistance of Rs 5000 to tribals under Tripura tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC)

--University in the name of Maharaja Bir Bikram Manikya, the last king of Tripura Princely tribal state.

--Inclusion of Kokborok (main language of Tripuri people), in CBSE and ICSE schools.