The Tuesday Interview | No post-poll alliance too without written assurance on Greater Tipraland: Deb Barma

The BJP workers’ celebration of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) by bursting crackers outside Ujjayanta Palace at Agartala in December 2019 made Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, the scion of the erstwhile Tripura Royal family, quit Congress to “do something” for the state’s indigenous people. A few months later, Deb Barma formed Tipra Motha, a regional party with a demand for a “Greater Tipraland” state. This, he says, can shield the indigenous communities from the “Hindu Bangladeshis,” who will be given citizenship through the CAA. Tipra Motha has rejected offers of the alliance by national parties on “Greater Tipraland” ahead of the Assembly elections. It is contesting in 42 out of 60 constituencies. DH’s Sumir Karmakar caught up with Deb Barma at Agartala and talked about Tipra Motha’s expectations from the elections, Greater Tipraland, and other issues.

The BJP says you are trying to divide Tripura in the name of “Greater Tipraland.”

In my Greater Tipraland, no one will be discriminated against, and none will be pushed out. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that the BJP does not want to divide Tripura. But who is trying to divide India in the name of religion? Who is doing politics in the name of biryani and pulao, in the name of tribal and non-tribal people? In 2018, you allied with IPFT, a party that then demanded Tipraland. Now when I talk about a constitutional solution for the rights of our indigenous people, you accuse me of dividing Tripura.

What will your party do to achieve “Greater Tipraland”?

We will negotiate; we will talk. We believe in the path of Mahatma Gandhi and Vivekananda. I believe in the ideology of Maharaja Vir Bikram; we will never indulge in violence. This is a problem that should be solved through negotiations. You can talk to the Hurriyat and Ulfa, why not with us? We are not committing any illegal acts. We will pass a resolution for “Greater Tipraland” after coming to power and send it to the Centre. We will pass a resolution against the CAA too.

You had a meeting with BJP leaders regarding the alliance. What did they offer you for the alliance?

They have given us no assurance in writing.

In the event of a hung assembly, will Tipra Motha support the BJP to form the government?

We will not sit in the government; I am making that very clear today. We will not join any government or support any government till a constitutional solution for “Greater Tipraland” is given in writing. Rather, we will sit in opposition. We don’t want to make the same mistake as IPFT. They got two or three berths in the government, and then they could not question the government regarding Tipraland.

You tried to form a merger or alliance with the IPFT. Why did it not work?

It did not happen because I don’t have so much money as the BJP. What else could be the reason? They stopped taking my calls after they got a call from the BJP. But IPFT is irrelevant now.

The CPI(M) and Congress are in a seat-sharing arrangement, but you did not join them. Will it not divide the opposition votes and ultimately help the BJP?

Congress and the CPI (M) fought against each other; now they have joined hands. I can’t join them. Tipra Motha will come to power on its own.

Why are you not contesting?

Because it is not about me. I never wanted to be the chief minister or a minister. I want to give something to my people. Three of our top leaders are not contesting. We want to give a message to the people that it is not about us, it is about the people. I want to give rights to the people.

Himanta Biswa Sarma said your family, the Royal family, created Tripura, but now you are trying to divide it...

My family created Tripura and merged Tripura with India. I am not dividing Tripura; this division began long ago when the government discriminated against one community or religion over another. Still, I am ready to talk, but it has to be in writing.

CPM is saying that you promised to help them?

I talk to Jitendra Choudhury of the CPM because he is a good person. That does not mean that we have an alliance with CPM. We have not fielded a candidate against Choudhury, Birajit Sinha (Congress president), or Trinamool Congress president Rajib Banerjee because all those are good candidates. This is my choice.

What will Tipra Motha do after coming to power?

First of all, law and order must be improved. People are fighting against each other, and this can be checked with a constitutional solution. Actually, there is no clash among people; it is the leaders who are creating the problem for power. Corruption must be ended, and jobs need to be given.

Many ask how you will run a separate state, as resources are a big problem for small states.

Resources are never a problem. Planning must be done to manage the resources. Goa is a small state; how is Goa earning money? We also have a lot of tourism potential. Thousands from Tripura are working in IT companies in Hyderabad and Bengaluru. Why can’t we have a world-class IT hub here? We have money, but that money is going to contractors and politicians. If we spend money on job creation and employment, development will follow.