Fifty students from Tripura who got stranded in violence-hit Manipur returned to Agartala Sunday with support from Pradyot Kishore. (Twitter, @PradyotManikya)
Tipra Motha chief Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma Sunday said A K Mishra, the interlocutor for talks between Tripura tribals and the Centre, was supposed to be in the state but he had to rush to Manipur on account of the recent violence there. Notably, Mishra is also the interlocutor for the Naga peace talks.
The Motha chief also said he is scheduled to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on May 10 to discuss issues related to the “Constitutional rights of tribals” in Tripura.
“Regarding interlocutor, AK Mishra is in Manipur. He has sought some more time for discussion with us. We agreed since it is a genuine issue. We are ready to wait for five-six more days as the situation in Manipur is not good,” he said while speaking to reporters at Maharaja Bir Bikram (MBB) Airport in Agartala. Pradyot Kishore was at the airport to receive students from Tripura who got stranded in Manipur.
Fifty students from Tripura who got stranded in violence-hit Manipur returned to Agartala Sunday with support from Pradyot Kishore. The latter provided free air tickets to the students. The Tipra Motha chief said he was helped by poor people of the state during a fundraiser prior to the elections this year and so it was his turn now to return the favour.
Pradyot Kishore also appealed for peace in Manipur.
“I want to ask my Meitei, my Kuki brothers and sisters to question ministers without fighting with each other… You voted for them, now ask ministers why law and order is not good in Manipur. It is a political problem... Please bring a solution to the problem in a cool-headed manner and it will be fine,” the Tipra Motha chief said.
Earlier on March 23, Shah had informed Pradyot Kishore that an interlocutor would be appointed for talks regarding the “Constitutional solution” by March 27.
However, the appointment of the interlocutor got delayed.
Later, Assam Chief Minister and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) chairperson Himanta Biswa Sarma was appointed to coordinate between TIPRA Motha and the Centre over the interlocutor appointment issue.
(With inputs from agencies)