Tripura Congress MLA and former BJP minister Sudip Roy Barman on Thursday said that Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Kishore Debbarman’s recent claim of being the “owner” of certain places in Tripura was made out of frustration and aimed at diverting the attention of indigenous people ahead of the upcoming District Council and Village Committee elections.

A video of Pradyot, recorded during a protest in New Delhi, has gone viral on social media, where he stated that he is the owner of Agartala, Teliamura in Khowai district, and Kanchanpur in North district. 

The remarks triggered a storm of reactions online. Pradyot later clarified that his comments were directed at the Amra Bangali party.

Speaking at a press conference at the Pradesh Congress Bhavan, Barman underlined that the true owners of Tripura are its people.

“In his protest, the National Flag was present, which shows that he believes in the Indian Constitution. All sections of the people—including me, you, and even Pradyot—have equal rights in this state. If he still thinks he is living in the princely era, it is important to remember that India is a sovereign democratic republic. The princely states no longer exist,” Barman said.

He asserted that Pradyot’s statement stemmed from growing dissatisfaction over the non-implementation of the Tiprasa Accord.

“For the last six to eighteen months, despite repeated discussions, the Central and state governments have not respected the provisions of the constitutional solution. With the village committee elections nearing, his frustration is evident. By making such provocative remarks, he is trying to divert the attention of the common people,” Barman said.

He further cautioned that continuing with such a mindset would not be healthy for the state’s politics.

“His approach needs to change,” Barman added, stressing the need for a more inclusive political outlook in Tripura.