Calling tribals 'Chinese' is very sad: TMP chief

Agartala, April 10 (IANS) Tipra Motha Party (TMP) supremo, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma said on Thursday that some people referring to the indigenous people of Tripura and the Northeast as “Chinese” is very sad.

The TMP chief on Thursday appeared before the District and Sessions Court in West Tripura to record his statement in a defamation case filed by him under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

Debbarma recorded his statement before the District and Sessions Court in West Tripura district judge Subhashish Sharma Roy.

Later, talking with the media, he said: “Calling the indigenous tribal people of Tripura and me ‘Chinese’ is not only defamatory but reveals the discriminatory mindset some people still hold. This fight is for my community’s respect and my family’s honour. It is very sad that some people refer to the indigenous people as ‘Chinese dalal’ (broker), ‘Chinese aunty’. I have to protect my community.”

He further pointed out that such racial prejudice is not limited to mainland India but is also found within the Northeast, where derogatory terms continue to hurt indigenous sentiments.

“We often speak about students from the Northeast facing racial abuse in other parts of the country. But unfortunately, we see the same behavior here too,” Debbarma said, adding that to stop the racial abuse, he has come to the court and expects justice.

The case relates to a social media post made by one Saikat Talapatra on July 17, 2023, in which derogatory remarks were reportedly made against the indigenous population of Tripura and Debbarma, labeling them as “Chinese.”

The TMP supremo had lodged a formal complaint in the West Agartala Police station on October 14, 2023, in response to the social media post, which he described as a direct insult to both his community and his family's legacy.

Debbarma said he could not disclose many details since the matter is subjudice. However, he emphasised that the issue reflects a deeper problem within society.

The accused, Saikat Talapatra, who was arrested from West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district on October 6, 2023, in connection with several cases, was also produced in court during Thursday’s hearing.

Special Public Prosecutor Raju Datta told the media that Talapatra’s Facebook post had seriously damaged the reputation of both the Scheduled Tribe population of Tripura and the royal Manikya family.

“The chargesheet has been filed following a police investigation, and the trial began on Thursday with Debbarma appearing as the first witness,” Datta said.

The case has drawn public attention in Tripura, highlighting ongoing concerns over racial insensitivity and the need to uphold the dignity of the indigenous communities.

Cases are also pending against Talapatra on charges of maligning Chief Minister Manik Saha, his family members and many other politicians through his (Talapatra) online YouTube and Facebook channels.

Talapatra, through his channels, had also maligned former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman and many other politicians besides TMP supremo Debbarma.

Talapatra, who had once been a full-time teacher of the Tripura government but lost his job for dereliction of duty, also worked as the anchor of a local television channel before 2020.

--IANS

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