Agartala, Feb 6: TIPRA Motha accused the BJP-led state government of illegally including Sixth Schedule areas under the newly notified Bishramganj Nagar Panchayat, triggering a sharp political confrontation barely two months ahead of the crucial TTAADC elections.
Terming the move an “encroachment” on the constitutional powers and land of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), TIPRA Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma on Friday warned of legal action if the alleged inclusion of ADC areas is not rolled back.
Pradyot, accompanied by TTAADC Chief Executive Member Purna Chandra Jamatia, former CEO CK Jamatia and other party leaders, met Sepahijala district officials led by SDM Bishramganj Binky Saha, who also serves as the Executive Officer of the Nagar Panchayat.
The meeting, held at the government Dak Bungalow in Bishramganj, focused on clarifying the demarcation of municipal boundaries after the party alleged that nearly 30 per cent of the notified civic area falls within ADC jurisdiction.
After the meeting, the TIPRA chief launched a strong attack on the administration, accusing it of proceeding without proper land records and relying on “natural boundaries” and voter rolls to justify the expansion.
“We have made it very clear that we will not allow ADC land to be encroached upon in the name of the Nagar Panchayat. Holding elections in an ADC area does not mean the land can simply be handed over,” Pradyot said.
Claiming that the expansion violates constitutional safeguards under the Sixth Schedule, he said affected residents would move the court through a Public Interest Litigation, with the party extending full support.
“We will not give even an inch of ADC land if the expansion is illegal. This is about our rights and our survival,” he asserted.
Debbarma further alleged that the administration failed to produce any legally sanctioned map during the meeting to substantiate its claims.
“How can you shrink tribal areas without legal justification? Nearly 30 per cent of the area has been taken without any basis,” he said, adding that the government’s approach reflected “old communist-era thinking”.
At the same time, he urged the public not to communalise the issue.
“This is not about tribal versus non-tribal or politics. Nagar Panchayat should remain Nagar Panchayat and ADC should remain ADC. This is purely a constitutional matter,” he said.
On the other hand, SDM Binky Saha acknowledged that officials could not produce an official map clearly demarcating Gram Panchayat (GP) and Village Committee (VC) areas during the meeting.
She said the administration would seek assistance from the Directorate of Land Records and Settlement — the custodian of official maps — and conduct a joint ground demarcation exercise.
Saha maintained that only Gram Panchayat areas were included in the Nagar Panchayat as per the Panchayat Department’s notification and natural boundaries, and no Village Committee areas under the TTAADC had been incorporated.
However, she admitted that the Directorate currently lacks a separate map clearly distinguishing TTAADC and non-TTAADC jurisdictions.
Earlier, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha sought to downplay the controversy, asserting that no land had been acquired and alleging that “some people” were trying to create confusion among the public.
The conflicting claims have fuelled speculation of widening cracks within the BJP–TIPRA Motha alliance, both of which have publicly pledged to safeguard tribal interests.
The boundary dispute could become a key campaign issue in the upcoming ADC polls, with TIPRA Motha likely to sharpen its pitch around land rights and autonomy.
With tempers rising on both sides, Bishramganj has now emerged as a fresh political flashpoint, underlining growing unease within the ruling coalition ahead of a high-stakes election season.
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