"This is not Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas..." Tipra Motha leader Pradyot Deb Barma said on Monday while slamming the BJP government's "discrimination" towards the development of the tribals and an alleged conspiracy to divide them on religious lines.
Talking to reporters, Deb Barma alleged that the BJP government allocated only two per cent of its recent state budget to the areas under the autonomous district council while funds were not released for the development of education and other sectors.
"Only two per cent of the budget was meant for autonomous district council areas. This is not Sabka Saath, Sabha Vikas. We are not beggars, we are citizens of this country. The government of Tripura has to respond to why there is discrimination in the name of community," Deb Barma said a day after he quit as chairman of Tipra Motha after completion of his two-year term.
Also Read | Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Debbarma says he will no longer be chairman but ordinary worker
Bijay Kumar Hrangkhal, a veteran leader, now assumes the charge of the party president.
"There is also a conspiracy to divide the Tiprasa people based on religious lines. There is an attempt to do in Tripura whatever is happening in Manipur. But I will not allow such things to happen. We are Tiprasas first, then we are Hindus, Christians, and Buddhists. There is a demand for cancelling the Scheduled Tribe status for the tribals converting to Christianity. Tripura government has to make its stand clear on this. Can they cancel the ST status of the people of Mizoram just because they are Christians?"
Tipra Motha, the regional party stirred a political storm in Tripura by winning 13 Assembly seats (out of 60) in its maiden Assembly elections held in February this year. The party is also in power in the Tripura Tribal Autonomous District Council (TTADC), constituted under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for the welfare of the tribals. Nearly 70 per cent of the area and 40 per cent of the state's population fall under TTADC. Tipra Motha, however, did not accept the BJP's offer to join the government without fulfilment of its demand for "Greater Tipraland" and a constitutional solution for the concerns of the tribals in the state.
Deb Barma said the state government was showing discrimination against the tribals by not releasing funds. "In the elections, many Tiprasas voted for BJP, CPI (M), Congress and IPFT too. How can they neglect them just because they are Tiprasas?"
Pradyot further said that he would now concentrate on further strengthening the Tipra Motha from the grassroots by opening offices in all eight districts with his own funding. He said the party would intensify the agitation for Greater Tipraland soon.
He announced the plan for fresh agitation recently days after his meeting with Home Minister Amit Shah regarding its demand for "Greater Tipraland." When asked about Tipra Motha's plan for the Lok Sabha elections, Deb Barma said, "It should be a one-on-one fight."