Tipra Motha leaders in Delhi to advance Tiprasa Accord negotiations with Centre

Agartala, Feb 17: A delegation from the Tipra Motha Party, a key alliance partner in the BJP-led government in Tripura, is currently in New Delhi to push forward discussions on the much-anticipated Tiprasa Accord.

The delegation, led by TMP founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, is expected to meet with Union Home Minister Amit Shah soon to take the talks further.

Debbarman asserted that discussions on the Tiprasa Accord have made 95% progress and expressed hope that the Prime Minister and Home Minister would "do justice for the indigenous people of Tripura."

"I am optimistic and will wait for the remaining issues to be resolved, as the discussions have been very positive. I can confidently say that we've achieved 95% progress. The Chief Minister has separately met with both the Home Minister and Prime Minister, and he also met with me in Delhi. He has shown strong support for the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord," he told The Assam Tribune.

Debbarman further informed that for Tripura alone the 125th Constitutional Amendment Bill is on hold as the negotiation with the Centre is in process. 

So far, two rounds of meetings under the Joint Working Group have been held, during which the Tipra Motha Party presented its primary demands.

These include securing land rights for the indigenous population and implementing measures to preserve the history and culture of Tripura’s 19 tribal communities.

A significant focus of the party’s discussions has been financial autonomy for the state’s indigenous communities.

One of the key demands put forward is the direct funding of Tribal District Council Areas, ensuring more control over financial resources for these areas.

“Financial autonomy is a major issue. The ADC administration has repeatedly alleged that they have been deprived of the necessary fund devolution from the state,” a legislator of the party noted, requesting anonymity. 

In addition to these demands, Tipra Motha has raised two major political issues during the talks - an increase in the number of constituencies within the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and an expansion in the number of assembly seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes.

The party has proposed raising the total number of seats in the TTAADC from 28 to 50, as well as increasing the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Tribes from 20 to 27.

While progress has been made, tensions remain. Debbarman, in an earlier statement, warned that the delay in reaching a final agreement could test the patience of the indigenous population.

He even threatened to pull out of the ruling coalition if the talks are not concluded in a timely manner.