Written by Pu A. Lenthang, Kuki Inpi Nampi Haosapu (Kuki Inpi President). 
July 24, 2010.
Maharaja Bir Bikram built the airport at Tripura (Twipra) in 1942, at a time when there were hardly any in the region. The modest king, who was without ill-design and therefore free of any sense of insecurity, chose to name it Agartala Airport and not
after himself. Exemplary of his noble intentions towards humanity is the fact that he provided refuge to the fleeing Shah Shuja, and in true customary hospitality of a prosperous and generous indigenous king also built him a Mosque. Over the centuries, the King and his lineage have demonstrated such laudable and incomparable benevolence and inclusiveness, socially, politically and economically to all those who came to the kingdom. This includes the very migrant Bengali community, which have become the dominant population, today.

Of late, the magnanimity of the age-old legitimate owners and rulers of the land referred to as Independent Hill Country covering present-day Northeast India has persistently, and as a mark of usual practice, been violated by the dominant people. Changing the name of the airport to Rabindranath Tagore Airport is the latest manifestation. The blatant act is reminiscent of the tale of the Arab and his camel, which given an inch by its master the animal decided to take a mile! Another fitting example is Namak Haram, a Hindi expression. The glaring point now is not what the community with the inherent characteristic to overflow the indigenous people out of their very existence if possible through every available means is doing, but what active measures the Government of India takes to stem the tide.

Inactivity on the part of GOI would inevitably suggests they are aiding and abetting the demographic and social changes that is taking place, which is unambiguously the intention of the migrant, but now dominant community. Overnight, illegal immigrants from erstwhile East Pakistan and present-day Bangladesh, were legitimized as citizens of India! Is this to do with the race of the king, an indigenous hill people? Tripura joined the Indian Union in 1949 in good faith and with a firm belief that the indigenous would have a better prospect. The trends that have emerged at the hands of the state Government, which has been ignored and therefore supported by GOI, reveals a purpose-based race-biased intention. The existing state of affairs that has thoroughly exploited the indigenous land owners reveals a tacit collusion between state and centre. Invariably, the disastrous demographic changes experienced by the indigenous people and the immense socio-political impact will at some stage provoke major violent reaction at an alarmingly unprecedented scale. This is not a threat; it is a simple outcome that will happen; a consequence of the deliberations of the powers that be, i.e. state and centre. To this last, but necessary resort, GOI would then be compelled to send in Battalions of armed forces, which would affect the indigenous people, who would be seen as cause rather than a people who finally rose because their rights have been thoroughly and wilfully ignored through generations.

In genuine respect for all peoples that arrived in the land and the desire to integrate and prosper together, indigenous rights were not asserted. Rather, every deliberation was to induce and establish a state of democracy, where everyones rights without bias of race and colour would be honoured. That democracy is now clearly at risk. Would the spirit of the noble laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, be at peace with the naming of Agartala Airport after him? All, but those harbouring guile in order to promote a particular community at the expense of the indigenous owners of the land, and therefore insecure would respond in the affirmative. As for the laureate, Rabindranath Tagore, it is certain he would turn in his grave because his soul would never rest in peace if his own community utilises his name and memory to perpetuate vile and selfish interest, which does not reciprocate the kind deeds of the benevolent Maharaja Bir Bikram, who had helped and honoured numerous talents of Bengal and luminaries such as Rabindranath tagore, Jagdish Chandra Bose, Subhas Chandra bose and many other deserving nationalists… (Tripura Govt should review its plan to name airport after Tagore, Pradyot Bikram Kishore Manikya Deb Murman, Present Maharaja of Tripura, in Sangai Express, Imphal, 21 July 2010).

Renaming the Agartala airport to Rabindranath Tagore is the last straw; it is symbolic of the total disregard for the sentiment of the indigenous royal family despite their unflinching regard for humanity first and latterly self. To prevent any catastrophe, an immediate reversal of the airports name to its original, i.e. Agartala, would be extremely prudent. Should the airport need to rename, especially after a personality, the most deserving would naturally be the humble and unassuming Maharaja Bir Bikram! Rabindranath Tagore would also cherish this gesture from the state Government dominated by his people, the Bengalis.

The preceding remarks are intended to highlight injustice, greed and an inhuman trait of a dominant community dangerous to the indigenous people. It is also to indicate the desperateness of the situation they have created, which will in due course necessitate a counter-force to establish a positive deterrent once and for all in the interest of a democracy that is free from fear and intimidation and to preserve the rights of all concerned peoples.

(This is a press release from the Kuki Inpi organisation, which is the “Apex Organ” representing the Kuki people. It is a not-for-profit, socio-political body that represents all the tribes of the erstwhile Kukis).