Agartala, August 26: Tipra Motha chief and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma met Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu at Lok Bhavan on Wednesday and urged him to look into several bills passed by the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) that have remained pending for years.
Pradyot said he apprised the Governor of bills relating to land rights, administrative reforms, recruitment policy and customary laws, among others, which were passed by the elected district council but have not received the Governor’s assent.
According to Pradyot, some bills dating back to 2007 are yet to reach the Governor because they have allegedly remained pending with the state government. He said the issue has also been raised before the Supreme Court.
“I have asked the Governor to look into why there has been such a long delay. If a bill is not acceptable, it can be rejected, but it cannot remain pending for five or ten years,” Pradyot said.
Referring to the Supreme Court’s recent observations in the Tamil Nadu Governor case involving R.N. Ravi, Pradyot said the court had indicated that a Governor cannot sit indefinitely on bills. However, he pointed out that in Tripura, TTAADC bills are first sent to the state government’s Tribal Welfare Department, which is the nodal department, before being forwarded to the Governor.
Pradyot also raised the issue of Permanent Resident of Tripura Certificate (PRTC) requirements for government employment. He said he has sought a legal opinion on the matter and that the issue could be challenged before the Supreme Court.
On employment in TTAADC areas, Pradyot said his personal view was that the autonomous council should have the power to frame its own recruitment policy in keeping with the objectives of the Sixth Schedule. He argued that tribals should receive preference in TTAADC recruitment while also ensuring representation for non-tribal minorities living in the autonomous areas.
He stressed, however, that the matter is sub judice and that his personal opinion should not be treated as the official position of the TTAADC.
Pradyot also addressed questions about his party’s relationship with the BJP-led government. He said Tipra Motha is an independent political party and that its alliance is based on the implementation of the Tiprasa Accord. He added that this does not prevent the party from raising issues affecting the people of Tripura.
Asked about criticism from opposition parties, Pradyot said political parties may make their own statements, but maintained that his priority is the interests of the people of Tripura rather than his party.
“I don’t want to be remembered as a good politician. I want to be remembered as a good human being,” he said, adding that he wanted to be honest about issues concerning the people.
Pradyot also said he would meet his party’s MLAs to decide the strategy for the upcoming Assembly session. He indicated that Tipra Motha would independently assess issues concerning the public interest despite its alliance with the government.
The meeting with Governor Nallu comes amid renewed discussion over land rights, TTAADC autonomy, recruitment policy and implementation of the Tiprasa Accord.
