A day after TIPRA Mutha founder Pradyut Kishore Manikya Debbarma met Tripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, the latter on Saturday expressed hope that the points agreed upon in the TIPRA tripartite agreement would be implemented soon.
The TIPRASA Accord – signed by the Centre, the state government and TIPRA Mutha in March 2024 to resolve issues related to land rights, customary laws and linguistic, social, economic and political rights of tribes based in Tripura – was touted to be implemented within six months, but little progress has been made in the last 20 months since the signing of the agreement.
Speaking to reporters, CM Saha said: “I saw him (Pradyot Kishor) making a statement to the media after yesterday’s meeting. I will say the same… Discussions took place on the tripartite agreement that was signed in Delhi. I hope that the issues pointed out by the TIPRASA agreement will be resolved soon.”
Asked about the state police’s recent refusal to allow a Tipra Mutha rally at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala, Saha said the Mutha had postponed the rally and it would be better for them to comment on the issue.
Pradyut Kishor on Friday described his discussions with the Prime Minister as a “welcome step” in the direction of development.
Pradyut Kishor’s meeting with the Prime Minister came three days after founder Tipra Mutha floated an inclusive regional forum with the stated aim of merging all regional parties in the North-East. At the press conference where the comprehensive regional forum was announced, Pradyut Kishor was flanked by Meghalaya-based National People’s Party (NPP) chief Conrad Sangma, among others.
Both Tipra Mutha and the NPP are allies of the BJP and are components of the saffron party-led North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).
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Meanwhile, Congress Working Committee member and former minister Sudeep Roy Barman on Friday reacted to the meeting between Pradyut Kishor and Saha. The opposition leader said that the “real solutions” to the TIPRASA tripartite agreement should be provided by Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the central government.
In another development, CM Saha on Saturday said that the state government has obtained a loan worth Rs 1,400 crore from the World Bank to develop connectivity, electricity, water supply, health and education in tribal areas.
He added that his government has allocated more than 40 percent of the funds in the 2025-2026 budget to develop areas inhabited by tribal people.
The Prime Minister said that the saffron party-led government is not playing politics with the tribal people.
(tags for translation)Tiprasa Agreement
