Tripura party seeks answers on Motha MLA's ‘violent past' from Shah

Time of India

10-07-2025

Agartala: Amra Bangali, a regional political party, has called upon Union home minister
to address pressing concerns regarding TIPRA Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma accused of committing genocide during his tenure as the chief of the banned armed outfit All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF).
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Amra Bangali state secretary Gouranga Rudrapal has raised serious allegations against Debbarma, claiming that he has not formally renounced his past affiliations before contesting the 2023 assembly elections under the banner of royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman's party, TIPRA Motha. Rudrapal says police records show Debbarma has not surrendered, with multiple cases still pending against him, including accusations of murdering over a hundred Bengalis during the 1990s.
The party has also taken a firm stance against TIPRA Motha's demand to repatriate individuals who arrived in Tripura post-March 25, 1971, from Bangladesh. They are urging the govt to reopen investigations into the alleged genocides by ATTF and NLFT during the 1980s and 1990s.
Rudrapal did not hold back in his criticism of Debbarma, accusing him of inciting communal tensions with hate speech against Hindu Bengalis.
"It is alarming that someone with such a violent past can now hold a position of power as an MLA," he stated, demanding clarity on how an insurgent could transition into a lawmaker.
Amra Bangali is also pushing for a judicial reinvestigation into the June 1980 riots and other violent incidents targeting Bengalis over the past three decades. They argue that justice has been denied to the victims of ethnic violence due to political negligence.
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"The 1980 riots led to the massacre of hundreds of innocent Bengalis. Even after four decades, no proper investigation or justice has been delivered. Similarly, several acts of mass violence, property lootings, and targeted killings of Bengalis have taken place in the last 45 years, often by extremist groups. The victims were either forgotten or silenced," Rudrapal lamented.
He called for the establishment of a judicial commission, led by a sitting HC judge, to thoroughly investigate these incidents and ensure proper compensation and rehabilitation for the victims' families.
Rudrapal further emphasized the historical roots of Bengalis in the region, contrasting them with the migration of tribal communities from present-day Myanmar around the 5th century BC. "Bengalis are the real sons of the soil but today, they are being labelled as outsiders in their land," he said.
Reacting to the allegations, Debbarma said, "History tells who are infiltrators. I just referred to the notification of MHA regarding identification of illegal migrants. In regard to the allegation of my past, I can only say there were 17 cases against me but none of them were proved in court."