Tripura, July 29, 2023: A high-ranking official from the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently conducted separate meetings with two tribal parties in Tripura, namely the opposition party Tipra Motha and the ally of the ruling BJP, IPFT. The discussions centered on addressing the issues faced by the indigenous people in the northeastern state.

A K Mishra, the MHA advisor for Northeast, also engaged with several samajpatis (village heads) from the state during the course of his visit.

After the meeting with A K Mishra in Delhi, Animesh Debbarma, a leader from Tipra Motha, shared their core demand with reporters at the airport upon returning to Tripura. The main opposition party, Tipra Motha, has been advocating for a separate state for tribal communities.

Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, the party supremo, confirmed that their delegation had an “official” meeting with MHA officials. However, he did not disclose the specific issues discussed during the meeting. He expressed relief that the meeting took place, as it put an end to five months of online trolling, abuse, and insults he had faced. Debbarma took to Twitter to express his gratitude for the meeting.

He also appreciated the fact that the Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) had raised a similar demand for Tipraland. Debbarma emphasized the importance of unity in their pursuit of securing a better future for the Tiprasa people. He expressed hope that through collective efforts, they could achieve their goals, and further discussions on the matter would take place at a later date.

In the past, on July 1, Debbarma had met with Union Home Minister Amit Shah to urge for a “Constitutional solution” to their demand for “Greater Tipraland.” He had also discussed this issue with Shah and BJP president JP Nadda during the swearing-in ceremony of the BJP-led government in March.