Agartala, August 19: Tipra Motha Party MLA Ranjit Debbarma has written to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST), demanding the cancellation of Scheduled Tribe (ST) status for tribal women who marry non-tribal men, alleging widespread misuse of welfare schemes and tribal rights.

In his letter dated August 12, Debbarma alleged that many non-tribal men deliberately marry tribal women to exploit ST privileges. He claimed that after marriage, these men transfer businesses and properties—including petrol pumps, gas agencies, ration shops, and other enterprises—into their wives’ names to evade taxes and secure government subsidies.

Debbarma further highlighted that non-tribal men are purchasing land in their wives’ names within the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) and using it for gardening, rubber plantations, brickfields, and even health facilities, all while bypassing land taxation. “Most alarming is that vast plots of land within TTAADC are being acquired in this manner, undermining the rights of tribal communities,” he wrote.

He argued that such practices “defeat the purpose of tribal welfare schemes” and result in large-scale misuse, depriving genuine beneficiaries. The MLA urged the NCST to immediately revoke ST benefits for women married to non-tribals and also review cases where such marriages have already taken place.

Debbarma sent copies of his letter to the Governor, Chief Minister, Tribal Welfare Minister, and the Secretary of the Tribal Welfare Department, calling for urgent action. He warned that in “every sphere of life, non-tribal boys are avoiding taxes by marrying tribal girls,” and stressed the need to safeguard tribal rights and resources from such exploitation.