The King and I

‘500 people crossed the border into Kargil and we went to war, but when 10 lakh Bangladeshis come into the North East we call it assimilation. There are days when I want to leave all this, will everything to my mother, pick up a gun and head to the jungle.’

Bordering Bangladesh, engulfed by ‘immigrants’, in a forgotten corner of the North East resides the oldest unbroken hereditary monarchy of the country, Tripura. I sipped Darjeeling tea as the passionate King, Pradyot Bikram Manikya DebBurman, opened my eyes to the ‘Tripura Situation’.

The Tripura Situation

(As explained by Mr. DebBurman)

After voluntarily acceding to the Indian state, Tripura has become a victim of the porous Indo – Bangladesh border. Years of illegal cross border migration, politics of assimilation and an ‘alien’ Bengali government, have left the indigenous tribals of Tripura a minority in their home land (roughly 30%). Numerically unable to capture power from the now indigenised, migrant Bengali (Bangladeshi) population (70%), the tribals have been economically isolated.

‘When I go through the streets, they (Bengali population) wave to me, seemingly show their respect, but I feel their hate, it comes out of their pores. To be looked at as an inferior, hated in my own Kingdom because I am a tribal King, angers me.’

It is this tribal anger, fuelled by economic backwardness, lack of ‘tribal’ opportunities and a sense of alienation from their political ‘representatives’( a Bengali dominated State Government) that has resulted in the ongoing underground movement.

Sitting in Delhi I was aware of the porous Indo – Bangladesh border and the growing illegal immigrant population, disconnected I thought, big deal. Living sheltered in a city of migrants, I never gave it much thought but as Pradyot spoke I was reminded of this fear psychosis I have encountered during my North East trip. A fear of outsiders has gripped this region. Tripura, where the indigenous are the minority, is the feared future. When the idea of home is violated, rationality becomes a luxury and ‘the outsider’, the non - indigenous become the enemy.

Why has the ‘pro – tribal’ movement turned into an independence struggle?

‘See what you need to understand is that the Tribal people of Tripura don’t hate Indians. They bear a resentment towards the Bangladeshis immigrants, but these immigrants are given citizenship and are now ‘officially’ Indians. So their anger gets misplaced, immigrants are confused for indigenous Indians.’

I understand the anger you must feel, made to feel like an outsider at home, but do you feel there is a workable solution?

‘The future lies in inclusive development, development of all without patronising any community. Today it’s not possible to get rid of the Bengali population, you have to work with them, build a joint tribal, non – tribal future. The first generation of immigrants wanted land, the second generation wanted jobs, but today’s generation wants more. They want cinemas, night clubs -development. If your car has a flat tyre you change it, but today they (State Government of Tripura) say, let the other three tyres carry the weight. You can’t have that, can you?’

You talk of development, but what I have noticed in the North East is that there is no private sector. The main source of youth employment, the Government, is the now saturated. Where is the development?

‘There is a class here in the North East, within our own communities, which is successful because they are the intermediaries between GOI and the people here. This creamy layer, directly benefits from keeping things the way they are.’

‘For development private entrepreneurship is important, tourism can play a big role. You don’t have to be in a big town, you can be in Cherrapunjee and develop Cherrapunjee. The BPO industry can be big in the North East. I think 60% of the BPO industry outside consists of students from the North East. They are working for seven thousand Rupees in Delhi, Bombay, in a Metro that’s nothing. You give them six, seven thousand rupees here they will be much happier. But how will you have a BPO industry when the BSNL connection breaks every 10 minutes? How will you have a boom in tourism when the infrastructure is poor?’

‘The truth is nobody is listening to the people and as long as no body is listening to the people you will have a problem. Nobody listened to Jessica Lal’s case, or the Arushi’s case, but then the media heard them and it became a movement.’ Echoing a sense of ‘media betrayal’ common in Nagaland, Arunachal and Meghalaya, emotionally charged Pradyot explained, ‘Here even the media is not there, the main stream media is just not interest (in the North East).’

This media betrayal is real. A boy fallen in a well becomes a ‘heart warming’ breaking news story flashed across our TV screens for days, but when it comes to TRPS the North East just doesn’t sell. An integral part of our nation was blockaded for over two months, but Dhoni’s secret marriage had more on ground coverage. Channels opt to have one token North East correspondent. One report based in Guwahati to report on 8 states of the North East.

But in the spirit of ‘God helps those who help themselves’, I asked,

I agree with what you’re saying, I came across the same sentiment in Nagaland. But every five years you elect your representatives; you can’t just abdicate the blame and point fingers.

With a knowing smile Pradyot explained. ‘I know yaar, we don’t elect a Government, we don’t have an option. As a politician, five years ago, I would say exactly what you saying – “You have a choice”, but its a piece of paper I gave you and tell you “Now you have the power to choose your future” and every five years I come back and say “now choose your future”. Who do you choose, are you deciding who will be a candidate. Tickets are bought.’

Interrupting rhetoric I had heard many times, with a slight air of arrogance I said,

I agree there is a lot of corruption, but as a government you can’t function if there is popular discontent...

Returning the favour, Pradyot cut me short.

‘But there is popular discontent and there will be more popular discontent in the years to come until you don’t bring in effective development. This popular discontent is causing the government to fall every four months. Meghalaya has had 39 Chief Ministers since it became a state in 1972. Each option is as bad as the last.’

Political corruption, creamy layer exploitation, economic backwardness this is the common story of India, excuses we give ourselves to fail. Is there a solution?

‘As a King, my people have given me a lot. Everything stems from them. I don’t want to me just another Maharaja, Mooch upar kar ke, polo khelne nikle. I feel for my people, I want to better their lives and I will do it, but I will do it my way. Unfortunately I can’t do it alone but I have always believed that the youth needs to step up, take responsibility and enter politics. I have a team of young people working with me, we will changes things.’

Relived to hear hope escape the Kings lips, I posed to two questions, how do you expect to get power in Tripura, when tribals are in a 70 – 30 numerical minority, how will you get the numbers. Also could you elaborate on what you mean by ‘your way’?

‘My way, is the youth taking responsibility for themselves, the future rest on the youth. As for getting power, I will simply talk development. As I mentioned before this third generation of Bengali ‘immigrants’ wants more, I will give them that. I will develop tourism, hotels, create jobs. Bring in the BPO industry, invest in power generation, education. Why should we only trade with the mainland (India), I will open up traditional trade routes with Bangladesh and Burma. The future lies in economics.’

‘I am young and therefore emotional and uncompromising on my ideals. There are days when I want to leave all this, will everything to my mother, pick up a gun and head to the jungle. Maybe time will ease my passion, but for now I will not compromise. The sad fact is the government of India takes the North East as a strategic part of the country, strategic not integral.’