The 10TH election to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), scheduled for April 12, is of immense importance from the viewpoint of overall development of the state, especially in consideration of the political, economic, social, cultural and democratic contents.

The role of the TTAADC is not limited only within creation of some infrastructure, or some service delivery, or implementation of some economic projects, like the other forms of local government, including three-tier panchayats, Agartala Municipal Corporation or other urban bodies. TTAADC was formed to function as the constitutional safeguard for the tribal communities of the state, who were pushed to extreme impoverishment during 1,400 years of feudal rule, then faced crushing oppression during three decades of post-independence period, once majority reduced to minority due to the partition, as a result of which their language and culture faced the perils of extinction and they were driven to face the threat of eviction from their own land.

Was it an easy task to form the TTAADC? Not at all. There were obstacles, both inside and outside, created by elements driven by narrow political interest. One side asked the people to elect them in the Lok Sabha poll, so that they could grab power in Delhi and repeal the act for forming TTAADC. The other side raised slogan, “first deportation of all foreigners coming after 1949, then ADC election.’’ Intention of both sides was the same — to stop TTAADC formation by hook or by crook. But, CPI(M) and Gana Mukti Parishad(GMP) were relentless in their focussed political struggle, emboldened with spirited mass participation of people from both tribal and non-tribal communities. The historical journey of TTAADC, formed under the Seventh Schedule, was started in 1982, when the first Left Front government was in power. Later on, an even more valiant mass struggle ensured extension of TTAADC to be formed under the Sixth Schedule.

Opponents of TTAADC continued to create hurdles since its inception. With a view to stop the programmes aiming at all-round development of the tribal people, the opponents took various facades like Tribal National Volunteers (TNV), National Liberation Front of Twipra(NLFT), All Tripura Tigers’ Force (ATTF) and many other sub-groups under their control (all extremist outfits, and used different slogans from time to time, like Sovereign North East (Swadhin North East), Independent Twipra (Swadhin Twipra), Bengali-free Tripura and many more. All of those were aimed to distract people and to create hurdles for all-round development of the state. Latest slogans of Tipraland and of Greater Tipraland are also for the same purpose, to oppose TTAADC, to oppose holistic development of the state and to create hurdles for development of the tribal people in particular and Tripura as a whole.

But, in spite of all that, the TTAADC and the tribal society of the state could make steady progress, overcoming all obstacles, for most of the time since inception, barring a few years in between (1990-1994, 2000-2004, and 2021 to the present time). Today Kok-Borok, the mother tongue of the majority tribe is one of the official languages in the state, tribal festivals like Garia-Mamita-Hojagiri-Lebang Bumani-Bizu-Sangreng-Wangala-Sarlai Kut, etc. and tribal cultures of Rignai-Risha could earn importance and recognition not only within the state but at the national and international levels. Tribal youth coming to the city from remote parts are no longer required to pass the night lying down on the dingy floor of tribal rest houses in the cities and towns. Tribal people can find their prestigious and proportionate presence everywhere from the village committee office to the high positions in the secretariat. Schools, colleges and universities experience a massive presence of tribal students. Thousands of tribal families could become self-reliant through rubber cultivation on the patta land, with recognised rights by virtue of the Forest Rights Act. It is well established that the tribal people could transform into a community conscious about their rights, land, languages, culture and dignity.

But, the steady course of progress came to a halt after the BJP-IPFT grabbed power in 2018 through their so-called vision document and the promise of Tipraland, which were nothing but collection of complete lies, and after Tipra Motha grabbed TTAADC in 2021 through the utterly misleading slogan of Greater Tipraland. This Tipra Motha betrayed the people in the 2023 assembly election by uttering ‘one line fight’ in the open, while entering into a secret pact with the BJP-IPFT combine. It is for their deceitful act that the BJP-IPFT combine, which was alienated from people for their misrule, could get the dividend from division of opposition votes, thus return to power, and continue with the crime of murdering democracy and rampant loot of public money. As a result, the most essential services like education, health and employment generation have fallen flat. Once again the dark shadows of hunger and starvation death started looming large on the hills.

Tipra Motha grabbed the TTAADC in 2021 by provoking the emotion of ‘thansa (ethnic unity)’, and started milking the resources of TTAADC since the very first day, only to hollow it out. In last 5 years, Tipra Motha continued with the systematic annihilation of the basic and fundamental rights of the people in TTAADC. Most suffered are education, health, pure drinking water supply, power, irrigation, communication, guarantee to 100 days work under MGNREGA, the democratic right at the grassroots level (Village Committee, the grass root level local body election was not held for more the 9 years), etc. Intentional apathy on the part of the state government run under the leadership of BJP rendered the situation worse. There is not a single instance of meeting between the state government and the ADC authorities in last 8 years on development issues. Rampant corruption at all levels of ADC went sky high very much like the state government departments. There are more than 350 schools in ADC area, that are run by single teacher and residual half of total 1,600 elementary and secondary schools are also running with almost half its requirements. Roads, which were once the backbone of superb road connectivity within the state are now left dilapidated. The entire hilly region is now experiencing severe crisis of drinking water. Thousands of young boys and girls are now compelled to migrate outside for searching livelihood. On the other hand, thousands of vacant posts are not being filled up, retired employees are being deprived of their pension and other legitimate payments. While the situation is so grim, the executive members and the MDCs are spending TTAADC money like anything to have trips abroad like London, Paris, Singapore and also at places within the country. There is no money to assist the serious patients, yet the party leaders are making merry by grabbing honorary posts created for them with perks like hefty allowances, furnished residence, luxury vehicles and all such things. New Zonal and Sub-Zonal Offices are being created without any real developmental purpose, but to cause sheer misuse of money. Mismanagement has set up a most shameful record in the TTAADC.

This TTAADC is not a gift of someone to the state. People had to continue a prolonged struggle to achieve it, that too through amendment of the Constitution. It is the relentless pressure of the erstwhile LF government and the left forces that compelled the Union government to place the 125th Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament in 2018. While the Bill seeks more power to the TTAADC, the triple-engine government of the state and the Tipra Motha are totally indifferent to the issue. As a result, the Union Government could easily sweep the Bill under the rug.

It is crystal clear that none among the BJP, Tipra Motha and IPFT wants any real development of the tribal people, or any progress for the state as well as for the TTAADC. They remain busy in grabbing power so as to continue rampant corruption and plunder public money. They are part of the same alliance that runs the government, yet they are fighting each other in the TTAADC election. Bloody fight among the alliance partners to capture area continuing for last few months is indicative of their real motive, the motive for grabbing power at any cost, to have control over the public money, which they intend to plunder to the fullest. But the past experience shows that the fight between BJP and Tipra Motha is stage managed and temporary. Their real plan is to conceal the public sentiment brewing against them and to distract the frustrated workers and supporters. With this plan the drama is being staged following the script written by their party leadership.

In such a grave situation, the only option is to elect the Left Front again to run a transparent and corruption-free TTAADC administration that will remain fully accountable to the people with a promise to restore a democratic system. Left Front’s victory in the TTAADC will strengthen the ongoing struggle to restore democracy in the entire state so that the state can move forward in addressing the burning economic problems of the people. The Left Front’s victory will fulfil the most essential condition for state’s progress, that is to have peace, harmony and unity between the tribals and the non-tribals. On behalf of the CPI(M) and Left Front, we make an appeal to all democratic, secular, peace-loving and progress-seeking people of the people to stand in solidarity with the TTAADC, along with an earnest request to vote in favour of the CPI (M), CPI, RSP and Forward Block candidates in the upcoming ADC election to make them victorious with huge margins.

Our resolve:

To form a corruption-free, transparent and responsive administration.

To ensure regular elections to the Village Committees at an interval of 5 years, and to restore the practice of holding Gram Sabha for transparent selection of beneficiaries.

To take earnest initiative in developing education, drinking water supply, health, irrigation, power supply and communication systems.

To extend employment opportunities for jobless people and its implementation, and to take sincere initiative for filling up vacant posts.

To reorganise the Zonal and Sub-Zonal Offices in conformity with real need, and to make them easily accessible to the common people.

To ensure reflection of will of the related people in development of different languages and culture of tribal communities, including Kok-Borok.

To execute a thorough investigation into the rampant corruption and misdeeds of last five years and to take appropriate legal action.

To intensify the mass movement demanding passage of 125th constitution amendment bill to have more power and fund for the TTAADC.
 
To strengthen the ongoing struggle for restoration of democracy in the entire state and to establish the rule of law.