Agartala, November 13, 2025: A fiery speech by Kamal Koloi, Executive Member (EM) of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), has ignited a fresh political controversy in Tripura. Addressing a public gathering, Koloi accused the State Government of depriving the indigenous Tiprasa community of their rightful land and economic benefits, while allowing illegal settlements and excessive taxation in ADC areas.

Koloi alleged that despite generating significant revenue from natural resources like gas, bamboo, and construction materials from the ADC region, the State Government only allocates ₹500 crore annually to run the autonomous council.

“They take over ₹5,000 crore from our resources ONGC tax, bamboo, sand, GST, everything and give us only ₹500 crore. How will we develop our areas?” Koloi said.

He demanded land rights and direct economic funding for the TTAADC under the proposed Tipra Accord, arguing that Tripura’s tribal population continues to face neglect compared to other northeastern ADCs.

Koloi also accused the ruling BJP of protecting “illegal immigrants” and withholding constitutional powers meant for the Sixth Schedule area.

“In Mizoram, Meghalaya, and Assam, ADCs can allot land. Why not in Tripura? Our people remain poor while others flourish,” he added.

The EM further alleged corruption among ministers, questioning how certain leaders had amassed wealth and built expensive houses and businesses “within a few years.”

However, the remarks quickly drew a sharp rebuttal from BJP’s State Secretary David Debbarma, who dismissed Koloi’s claim that the State receives ₹5,000 crore from ONGC as “completely false and misleading.”

Debbarma clarified:

“Any natural gas discovered in India belongs to the Government of India. Tripura only receives royalty and tax shares. Official records show the state received ₹349.56 crore from ONGC over the last three years ₹85.41 crore in 2020–21, ₹93.98 crore in 2021–22, and ₹169.75 crore in 2022–23 including royalties and license fees. A fair share of this is passed to the TTAADC.”

He added that such “irresponsible and baseless statements from an elected representative reflect a lack of accountability.”

The escalating exchange highlights the ongoing tension between the State Government and the TTAADC, led by the Tipra Motha party, over issues of land rights, revenue sharing, and tribal autonomy key components of the long-demanded “Greater Tipraland” and the proposed Tipra Accord.

Koloi full speech-

“Brothers and sisters, we will no longer say Dopha dopha jati jati (divided into many tribes). Minister Bikash tells us ‘You people always talk about soil, soil. Will you eat soil?’

I say, when we ask for land do we eat soil? No! We survive by cultivating jhum, by selling forest vegetables. For the last 70 years, we Tiprasa people have lived and survived in this way.

But when will our destiny shine? When will the Tiprasa people be able to build homes like others? When will we live freely on our own land, without fear or dependence on anyone?

We have had our rights since 2016 yet, instead of giving us our land, they brought illegal immigrants from across the border (Bangladesh) under the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). When TSF protested against that bill, saying ‘we will not accept it,’ four Tiprasa youths were shot during ex-Cm Biplab Deb’s rule. It happened at Madhab Bari do you remember?

Why were we shot? Because our demand was simple to protect our land and to stop illegal infiltration. For that demand, our people had to die.

That’s why today, our demand is for land rights and direct funding. We no longer want Tiprasa people to depend on selling forest vegetables to survive. That is the demand of the Tipra Motha, that is the demand of Bubagra (Pradyot Manikya Debbarma).

This poverty who kept us like this? The same people who run the State Government also kept our ADC government weak.

In the entire Northeast, there are 10 Autonomous District Councils Mizoram has 3, Meghalaya has 3, Assam has 3, and Tripura also has 3 under the Sixth Schedule.

Go and see their ADCs roads are built, drinking water is available, development is happening everywhere. Mizoram’s ADC government can allot land. The Constitution is the same, the Sixth Schedule is the same. But our ADC government in Tripura has not been given that power.

They made us poor deliberately. The State Government collects ₹5,000 crore in taxes from our ADC areas every year from gas, from bamboo, from sand, from everything. When you sell bamboo or gas or even gravel, the State takes the tax. Even when you sell vegetables, they take GST. From ONGC too, all the royalties are taken by the State. Every year, they collect around ₹5,500 crore from our land and give the ADC just ₹500 crore!

What can we do with ₹500 crore? With our money, they beautify Agartala, they make Teliamura beautiful, they make Udaipur beautiful. Why should our money be taken to decorate their towns? We want to use our money to build our roads, beautify our own ADC villages.

Let us collect and use our own tax. Give us our economic rights. That is why we are demanding the Tipra Accord.

And what does the State Government say? They tell Delhi ‘We cannot give land rights to the ADC.’ They have taken all land powers under them. Why? Because they are still creating new colonies and settlements for outsiders.

Go to North Maharani, Khogendra Colony, and many other places see how colonies have been built. They don’t want to give land rights to us because they are still allotting our land to others.

Our Minister tells us, ‘If you want to eat, come here, join us.’ He says ‘You people in ADC eat by growing crops, by working with your hands. Come here, we’ll feed you properly deer meat, pork, everything.’ Meaning, if you want to earn, you must join BJP!

Yes, I have also seen how they ‘eat’ I have seen with my own eyes!

Do you know about our Honourable Minister in North Maharani? He built a house worth crores do you know how much? During elections, he declared only 4–5 lakh in assets. Now he has built a house worth ₹5 crore in just 3 years. He owns two petrol pumps, a resort, a three-story house in Lembucherra. MLA Sudip Roy Barman even said in Delhi, ‘How did he buy two flats there?’

So I ask from where did this money come? Who gave him the power to build like this while our people still live in bamboo huts?

That’s why I say again our first and foremost demand is Land Rights. Why is the State afraid to give us land rights? Because they are still settling outsiders on our land.

Until we get Land Rights, Direct Funding, and Economic Power, our fight will continue.

We are not against anyone we only want what belongs to us. Our rights, our land, our dignity.

Tiprasa Accord must come. That is our future.”