Agartala, October 14, 2023: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma while addressing a massive rally at the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) headquarters in Khumulwng under West district, organized by the principal opposition party TIPRA Motha, called upon the indigenous communities of Northeast India to unite, putting aside their differences, and seek a constitutional solution for the region’s tribal population.

Sangma, accompanied by a group of Meghalaya’s MLAs, joined the rally to express solidarity and support for the pursuit of greater Tipraland and constitutional solutions for the indigenous communities of the state. These efforts were instigated by TIPRA Motha and its key leader, Tripura royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman.

Addressing the gathering, Sangma emphasized the need for unity among the various tribal communities in the Northeast. He highlighted that although Delhi recognizes them as Northeastern communities, their issues are often not collectively addressed, leading to numerous challenges for the indigenous people of the region. He called for a unified voice to advocate for their rights.

Sangma commended Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s initiative for unity, which aimed to bring together indigenous people from eight states of the region, transcending narrow political interests and power struggles to amplify their collective concerns and development aspirations. He announced their intention to journey together to Delhi to advocate for their people.

Pradyot Kishore Debbarman, while addressing the gathering, expressed dissatisfaction with the media for not adequately covering the issues and challenges faced by the indigenous communities of the Northeast. He criticized the media for allocating more coverage to international conflicts like Israel, Palestine, and Pakistan, as well as smaller issues from the so-called mainland, while neglecting the struggles of the people in the Northeast.

Pradyot also accused some tribal leaders of frequently switching parties for personal gain, compromising their commitment to their communities. He warned that such actions would not be tolerated, and tribal unity was essential to protect the interests of future generations.

He emphasized that while power might be temporary, the rights of the people were permanent, and leaders should prioritize the interests of their communities over personal gain.

Pradyot raised concerns about the ADC administration under TIPRA Motha’s rule, alleging that the Chief Executive Member was seeking funds from the state government while people in need of medical treatment were suffering just 30 kilometers from Agartala. He vowed not to allow such situations to persist, emphasizing the importance of addressing the urgent needs of the people in the region.