No united front on August 9: BJP, TIPRA plan parallel events on World Indigenous Day
BJP in Agartala will meet to consolidate its growing tribal support base & TMP will observe it in TTAADC headquarters
Agartala, Aug 6: In a significant development, the ruling BJP and its ally, TIPRA Motha Party (TMP), have announced plans to celebrate the International Day of the World’s Indigenous Peoples on August 9 separately. Observers stated that this reveals a clear divergence in approach and political messaging between the two ruling parties of the State.
While the BJP will hold a rally in the State capital, focusing on consolidating its growing tribal support base, the TMP will mark the occasion at Khumulwung, the headquarters of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), which covers nearly two-third of the State’s territory.
TMP chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma has appealed to the indigenous people of Tripura to celebrate their roots by wearing traditional attire and preparing ethnic dishes like chakwi, gudok, and mosdeng across homes, schools, and workplaces. “Be proud of your identity,” he said in a Facebook post.
He also called for holding symbolic rallies across the State, urging his supporters to participate in a ‘homchang’ (torchlight) rally on August 9. The TMP is using the occasion to intensify its demand for village council elections in the TTAADC areas, which have not been held since 2021. Debbarma criticised the State Election Commission for failing to conduct the polls, calling it a denial of Constitutional rights. “You can belong to any party, but not holding elections in the village is a denial of your rights,” he maintained.
Meanwhile, the BJP has mobilised its entire tribal leadership – from State-level figures to village committee members – to ensure a large turnout for its rally here. Minister for Tribal Welfare Bikash Debbarma recently addressed BJP supporters at the Mungiakami market, highlighting the Government’s achievements in tribal welfare and development.