The demand for a Greater Tipraland by the TIPRA Motha

• The newest political party in Tripura, the Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance (TIPRA) Motha, has created a flutter with its demand for Greater Tipraland.
• The party was floated in 2019 by Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma – the son of Tripura’s last king.
• Tripura was a kingdom ruled by the Manikya dynasty from the late 13th century.
• This dynasty ruled Tripura until the signing of the Instrument of Accession with the Indian government in October 1949.

What is Greater Tipraland?

• Greater Tipraland is the core ideological demand of the TIPRA Motha.
• The objective is to carve out a new State for the 19 indigenous tribes of Tripura under Articles 2 and 3 of the constitution.
• Article 2: Parliament may by law admit into the Union, or establish, new States on such terms and conditions as it thinks fit.
• Article 3: comes into play in the case of formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing States by the Parliament.

Regional extent of the proposed State

• It includes the region under Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous district Council (TTAADC) and 36 villages out of it, within the Tripura State boundaries.
• The demand seeks to include every tribal person living in indigenous area or village outside TTAADC
• The idea doesn’t restrict to Tripura tribal council areas.
• It extends to include Tiprasa (indigenous people of Tripura) spread across different states of India like Assam, Mizoram etc.
• It also includes those living in Bandarban, Chittagong, Khagrachari and other bordering areas of neighbouring Bangladesh.

How did the demand originate?

• Apprehension of the indigenous communities
• The demand mainly stems from the anxiety of the indigenous communities in connection with the change in the demographics of the state, which has reduced them to a minority.
• It happened due to the huge influx of refugees from East Pakistan. The flood of refugees led to bitter differences.
• From 63.77% in 1881, the population of the tribals in Tripura was down to 31.80 per cent by 2011.
• The indigenous people have not only been reduced to a minority, but have also been dislodged from land reserved for them
• Ethnic conflict and insurgency
• Later, ethnic conflict and insurgency gripped the state, which shares a nearly 860-km long boundary with Bangladesh.
• The conflict between the tribals and the non-tribals escalated in 1980 and took the shape of armed insurgency.
• The demand for autonomous regions or separate statehood during this time metamorphosed to sovereignty and independence.
• However, after a political truce was reached between the State and the rebel groups, the demand for statehood was revived.
• Rise of Ethnic-Politics
• There has been a revival of ethnic nationalism in Tripura by the newly formed political party.
• It is trying to unite people from both tribal and non-tribal ethnic identity since 2019.
• This party claims that a separate state could alone alleviate problems faced by Tripuri tribes.
• Alleged discrimination faced by Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC)
• The TTADC receives two percent of the State budget while it has 40% of the State’s population.
  • TTADC was formed under the sixth schedule of the Constitution in 1985.
  • Its aim is to ensure development and secure the rights and cultural heritage of the tribal communities.
  • It has legislative and executive powers and covers nearly two-third of the state’s geographical area.
• It also highlights the unfulfilled demands of revising National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Tripura.