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Indian Express
3 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tripura BJP treads cautiously as TIPRA Motha wing threatens statewide shutdown over ‘insult' to Pradyot Kishore
Tripura's ruling BJP on Thursday appeared to play down ally TIPRA Motha's claims that its founder had been insulted by the Gomati district magistrate by refusing to meet him, and accused the Opposition CPM and Congress of trying to win brownie points out of the issue. BJP state spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said, 'The Congress and CPM are trying to give political colours to a recent undesirable incident between Pradyot Kishore Debbarma and Gomati district magistrate and are trying to gain brownie points over the issue. They are making self-contradictory statements and trying to confuse people to malign the state government on social media.' Chakraborty's comments came as a surprise as tension between the BJP and TIPRA Motha was rather high in the last few days, especially during the shutdown observed by the Youth TIPRA Federation (YTF), the tribal party's youth wing, in Gomati district against the alleged insult to Pradyot Kishore Debbarma and Tripura ADC Chief Executive Member Purna Chandra Jamatia. The YTF observed the shutdown on June 2 and kept the Gomati district magistrate's office locked, drawing criticism from the CPM and Congress as the Motha's protest took place amid a prevailing flood situation. Chakraborty's comments also came a day after the YTF threatened to scale up protests. 'If no action is taken against the DM, we will launch a statewide agitation next week. We will announce details of our agitation ahead of launching it,' YTF President Suraj Debbarma told reporters on Wednesday. Political observers had assumed the BJP would take a stern stand, especially since it doesn't need TIPRA Motha to maintain the majority in the Assembly. The party has 33 MLAs in the 60-member House. TIPRA Motha, which has 13 MLAs, had served as the principal Opposition party for nearly a year since the 2023 Assembly elections, after which it switched sides and joined the state government. Chakraborty singled out Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman and a 'few others' and said Chief Minister Manik Saha had already asked the chief secretary to investigate the Gomati issue. He further said the chief minister would talk to Pradyot once he returned to the state. The BJP spokesperson said the saffron party, TIPRA Motha and the IPFT were committed to working collectively for the state's development. He condemned what he said were online attempts to create communal sentiments. Stating that the BJP-led state government is working with people from all communities, religious groups, and sects, Chakraborty urged the people to 'stay cautious' about provocateurs. Asked about the YTF's agitations, Chakraborty said the association was free to protest, but urged everyone to keep faith in the chief minister. His comments are considered crucial in the aftermath of the YTF agitation which took place after a 96-hour deadline for the government to take action against the Gomati district magistrate expired. A large number of netizens criticised the YTF agitation that took place while thousands have sheltered in relief camps. Many others supported the right to protest. CPM MLA Chaudhury, who criticised the Gomati district magistrate's refusal to meet Pradyot, also termed the YTF action of locking up the office undemocratic and illegal. 'People suffered a lot due to the agitation…,' he said.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Disrespect' towards Pradyot Kishore: Tipra Motha youth wing shuts down govt offices in Tripura's Gomati district
The Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), the youth wing of royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma's Tipra Motha, Monday went ahead with its shutdown of government offices in the Gomati district. The YTF is protesting against the alleged disrespect shown towards party supremo Pradyot Kishore and Purna Chandra Jamatia, Chief Executive Member of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council, when the duo went to meet the Gomati district magistrate in his residence and were turned back at the gate Sunday. The Tripura Police made adequate arrangements to tackle the agitation and deployed thousands of security personnel. Hundreds of agitators attempted to breach security barricades and engaged in scuffles with the police. 'There will be deployment of nearly 1,000-2000 police, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Tripura State Rifles (TSR) personnel. Besides, we have been given civilian officers and experienced officers from the police headquarters. Our primary objective is to ensure that no one interferes with any official duty. We are trying to ensure less inconvenience for the public. For this, we have separate arrangements for traffic,' said Souvik De, Additional Superintendent of Police, a day before the shutdown. Pradyot Kishore attended an event in South Tripura Sunday and was travelling to Agartala in the West Tripura district. On his way, he reached out to Gomati District Magistrate T K Chakma, whose residence is in Udaipur, which is on the route to Agartala. However, the Tipra Motha leader, who was accompanied by Jamatia, was allegedly denied entry by the security guards at the gate. Pradyot told journalists that he had been trying to get in touch with the DM regarding some administrative issues, but his phone calls had not been answered. The YTF condemned the incident, sought action against the DM and declared a shutdown at all government offices in the Gomati district. YTF President Suraj Debbarma stated on Sunday that if the Tripura government does not take action on the issue, the agitation will spread to other districts of the state. Tipra Motha is a ruling ally in the BJP-led state government.
Indian Express
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Will defend our land and kick illegal Bangladeshis out, says TIPRA Motha's Pradyot Kishore
As the crackdown on illegal immigration from Bangladesh continues in Tripura, with police making yet another arrest, Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, founder of the ruling TIPRA Motha, has said that 'our boys' can identify and push back infiltrators 'if given support'. 'Illegal Bangladeshi are entering every day! For every 5 people apprehended 1,000 get away because of the terrain and porous border. Tripura is going through demographic change once again! Both Assam and Tripura and parts of Meghalaya have become transit points for illegal migration to the Northeast and the rest of India. The indigenous tribes that are asking for land rights here are doing so because we know sooner than later we will be overrun by illegal migration. Can we expect justice and attention from the rest of India. Our boys know the area and if given the support will defend our land and kick out illegal Bangladeshis from entering our country,' he wrote on social media on Sunday. The police identified the arrested accused as Nirmal Biswas, a resident of Malda in Brahmanbaria district of Bangladesh. 'A Bangladeshi was arrested from Kaiyadhepa village in a joint initiative of the BSF and police while he was crossing the India-Bangladesh border. A case was lodged against him and he was forwarded to court on Saturday,' a police officer said. 'We are investigating to find out details of the reasons for his coming here.' In the past week, five Bangladeshi citizens were arrested in two incidents at the Agartala railway station. They were planning to travel to other states in the country, according to officials who interrogated them. A series of infiltration attempts by Bangladeshi and Rohingya people have been thwarted and several foreigners arrested recently, especially since the Sheikh Hasina -led Awami League government fell in the neighbouring country amid protests in August 2024. In the first week of March, BSF troops thwarted several smuggling attempts and seized a huge quantity of narcotics, cattle, rice, and other contraband worth Rs 2.88 crore.
