CORRESPONDENT
SHILLONG: TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma asserted that indigenous regional forces are "amalgamating, not merging," signalling a strategic consolidation to confront long-ignored issues such as the Inner Line Permit (ILP), illegal migration, and land rights. He stressed that the move seeks to fortify regional identity and prevent national parties from exploiting deep-rooted tribal, ethnic, and religious divisions across the Northeast.
Deb Barma said, "You can call it amalgamate; amalgamate is the better word. I think instead of calling it the word merger, I think amalgamate is better because you take something out of me. I think amalgamation is the better word than merger, as we do not want to destroy each other's distinct identity." Emphasizing that discussions on the proposed political entity remain internal, he added, "The name is not discussed in the public domain. We are going to come up with a proper entity, and we will do it in a measured and balanced way. The name is not as important as the people."
Slamming the political class for sidelining core concerns, he questioned the absence of debate on issues at the heart of regional anxieties. "The people's issues have to be dealt with, whether it is the Inner Line Permit, or whether it is illegal migration from Bangladesh or other neighbouring countries, whether it is about land rights, or whether it is about what we do with our next generation," he said.
Warning that internal fragmentation continues to weaken the region's influence in national policymaking, he added, "If you go to Delhi, does anyone know who is from Meghalaya or Tripura? Who is from Nagaland, who is from Manipur? They all call us Northeasterners or chinkies, or sometimes momos or Nepalese. But when we come back home, we become divided as Hindus and Christians… Garos and Khasis, Meiteis and Kukis. That is unfortunate… If we have to negotiate with Delhi, we have to do it from a position of strength."
Cautioning the region about the 2026 delimitation, he said the silence around the likely shrinkage of the Northeast's parliamentary representation reflects national apathy. "After 2026, what will be our share in Parliament? When North India will get 100 MPs and South India will get 50 MPs, how much will our share go up? All these are questions which the media should ask, but you are only asking questions because it is convenient right now."
Deb Barma also criticized both the Congress and the BJP for decades of ignoring the region's demands. "It is not just this Centre; when Congress was in the Centre even they did not pay attention to us. When a Chief Minister from the Northeast goes and has to wait for 10 days to get an appointment, is it fair… where has the self-respect gone?" He stressed that the ILP issue must not be confined to one state. "When it comes to the implementation of the Inner Line Permit, it is not only in Meghalaya; even in Tripura, when we are all one, the Centre should pay attention to us."
Calling for a united front, he said, "If we are one, they had better give us appointments. They had better listen to us, or the people will answer. Our people want us to be strong… even a poor kuwai seller in Motphran has self-respect, and we need to speak for them as well as we are talking about other people."
It may be mentioned that a coalition of influential regional leaders on Tuesday unveiled an audacious plan to form a singular political entity under the banner "One North East." The move, described by its architects as "historic" and "collective," signals an attempt to rewrite the power equations of the region's fragmented political landscape. The signatories include Meghalaya Chief Minister and NPP chief Conrad K. Sangma, TIPRA Motha founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma, former Nagaland minister Mmhonlumo Kikon, and Assam's Daniel Langthasa, founder of the People's Party. Together, they envision a reimagined Northeast-one that transcends state borders to forge an indigenous political powerhouse. The leaders have decided to constitute a committee that will deliberate on the future course of action, including the modalities and structure of the proposed political entity. The committee has been given 45 days to submit its report.
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