Demand for Greater Tipraland will not be diluted at any cost: Debbarma

AGARTALA, 16 Apr: Tripura Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma has reiterated that the demand for Greater Tiprland will not be diluted at any cost.

“There has been a conspiracy by a strong lobby to confuse Tiprasa (indigenous) people that TIPRA will dilute its core demand of Greater Tipraland,” he said in a video tweet on Friday night.

The statement came after media reports that TIPRA may drop its Greater Tipraland demand if the Centre promised to provide 20,000 government jobs to Tiprasa people in one year. The report went viral on social media.

Claiming that so many people had a hand in creating confusion in Greater Tipraland, Debbarma said the CPI (M) had been in power for 25 long years but did little for the welfare of the Tiprasa.

“I did not say that TIPRA will drop its Greater Tipraland demand if 20,000 government jobs are provided to Tiprasa people. I had said that if the Centre offers a package of Rs 2,000 crores or Rs 20,000 crores it will go to the pockets of contractors, politicians or members of district council. Instead of a package, the Centre can give 20,000 jobs to Tiprasa people,” he said.

“Giving 20,000 jobs will be an economic solution only, but we want a constitutional solution for Greater Tipraland. I will not dilute the demand,” he said.

He said, “We don’t want to be out of India and will continue to fight against illegal migration holding the national tricolour at border.”

The TIPRA is demanding that the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council and some surrounding areas be made into a separate state for the indigenous tribal people from Tripura.

The Tipra supremo further said there will be no alliance or merger either with the BJP or somebody else if a written assurance of giving Greater Tipraland is not ensured. (PTI)