A two-day dharna was recently held in New Delhi by the chief of a political party from Tripura to demand the establishment of a “Greater Tipraland”. The primary objective behind this move is to secure and protect the rights of indigenous communities residing in the state of Tripura.
The party’s demand revolves around creating a separate state, named ‘Greater Tipraland’, specifically for the indigenous communities of Tripura, a north-eastern state in India. They are urging the Centre to recognize their claim and establish the separate state under Articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution.
Among the 19 notified Scheduled Tribes in Tripura, the largest population represented is that of the Tripuris, also known as Tipra and Tiprasas. The 2011 census recorded at least 5.92 lakh Tripuris in the state, followed by the Bru or Reang community (1.88 lakh) and the Jamatias (83,000). The demand for a separate state is made on behalf of not only these communities but also all those residing within the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) area.
Historical Context
Tripura, once a kingdom ruled by the Manikya dynasty from the late 13th century till 1949, became a part of India following the signing of the Instrument of Accession with the Indian government. The demand for a separate state stems from the concerns of indigenous communities who fear the changing demographics of their state. Consequent to the displacement of Bengalis from erstwhile East Pakistan between 1947 and 1971, the tribal population, which stood at 63.77% in 1881, dropped to 31.80% by 2011.
This shift led to decades of ethnic conflict and insurgency in the state, which shares an 860-km long boundary with Bangladesh. The joint forum has also highlighted the issue of indigenous people losing their land, reserved for them by Bir Bikram Kishore Debbarman, the second last king of the Manikya dynasty.
Parliament’s Powers to Form a New State
The power to form a new state lies with the Parliament under Articles 2 and 3 of the Indian Constitution. Article 2 allows the Parliament to admit new states into the Union, or establish new ones under terms and conditions it deems fit. Article 3 empowers the Parliament to create laws regarding the formation of new states and alteration of existing ones.
Steps Taken by the Government
The government has taken initiatives to secure the rights and cultural heritage of tribal communities and ensure their development. The Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTADC), established in 1985 under the sixth schedule of the Constitution, is one such attempt. ‘Greater Tipraland’ aspires to turn the entire TTADC area into a separate state.
The council, covering nearly two-thirds of the state’s geographical area and having legislative and executive powers, consists of 30 members, 28 of whom are elected while the other two are nominated by the Governor. Moreover, out of the 60 Assembly seats in the state, 20 are specifically reserved for Scheduled Tribes.
A Forward-Looking Approach
Moving forward, socio-economic feasibility should be prioritized over political considerations. The unfettered demands for a new state need to be checked with clear parameters and safeguards. Instead of religion, caste, language or dialect, concerns like development, decentralization, and governance should be the driving forces behind the approval of new state demands. Addressing fundamental issues such as the concentration of power, corruption, and administrative inefficiency that contribute to the deficit of development and governance, is crucial.
