BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has urged India to reclaim territories like Noakhali, Chittagong Port, and Sylhet, alleging that these regions were wrongfully ceded by Jawaharlal Nehru and asserting their historical connection to the Tipra Kingdom.
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey's Call to Reclaim Territories
BJP MP Nishikant Dubey on Friday said that it was time for India to "reclaim" Noakhali, Chittagong Port and Sylhet region, along with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), that were "forcibly handed over" by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. Dubey said that these three areas were part of the Tipra Kingdom. "The time has come not just to reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir from Pakistan. It is also time to reclaim the territories that Nehru ji forcibly handed over, whether it is Noakhali, Chittagong Port or Sylhet," Dubey told ANI.
The BJP leader claimed that the then Tripura King Bir Bikram Singh questioned then PM Nehru over "negotiations over his territory". "The three areas, Noakhali, Sylhet and Chittagong Port, were part of the Tipra Kingdom. Tripura was earlier known as Tipra. Its king, Bir Bikram Singh, was continuously fighting with Nehru, questioning how he could negotiate over his territory. He would ask: How can you hand over Noakhali to Pakistan? How can you hold a referendum on Sylhet? How can you hold a referendum on Chittagong? This is my kingdom. I will decide whether it remains part of India, Pakistan or becomes an independent state," Dubey said.
Historical Context and Accession
"Sardar Patel sent the Army, and Tripura became part of India in October 1948. Maharani Kanchan Prabha signed the Instrument of Accession in October 1948, following which Tripura became part of India," he added.
Dubey alleged that Pandit Nehru prioritised bringing the Muslim League into his government over responding to the violence against Hindus in Noakhali in 1946, claiming that around 10,000 Hindus were killed in the massacre. "Nehru ji was desperate to become Prime Minister. India became independent in 1947, but he did not become Prime Minister on August 15, 1947. He became Prime Minister on September 2, 1946. As soon as he became Prime Minister, the Muslim League started Direct Action," the BJP MP said.
In October, on October 15, 1946, a massive massacre of Hindus took place in Noakhali, a Hindu-majority area. Around 10,000 Hindus were killed in a single day. But he did not go there as Prime Minister. He remained concerned about how the Muslim League could become part of his government," he added.
Impact on Northeast Development
Dubey further said that the going away of Chittagong Port was responsible for the halt in development of the entire northeast. "It was precisely because Chittagong Port went away that the development of the entire Northeast was halted. If the Northeast appears backwards today, if it faces problems, if we are unable to fully utilise its mines, minerals and gas, and if the region still feels disconnected, it is only because we no longer have that port. This is the time to reclaim Chittagong, Noakhali and Sylhet as well," he asserted.
Controversy Surrounding the Referendum
Dubet said that the person, Baharul Islam, who conducted the Sylhet referendum was made a Rajya Sabha member by Congress. "Nehru ji wanted to become Prime Minister by any means. When the King of Tripura, or the Maharani, decided in 1948 that they wanted to remain with India, and there was a year-long struggle in Tripura between 1947 and 1948, how could you hand over its territories, including the Hindu-majority areas of Chittagong, Noakhali and Sylhet, to Pakistan, which is now Bangladesh? Who gave you this right?" Dubey stated.
"The person who conducted the Sylhet referendum-do you know Baharul Islam? The Congress made him a Rajya Sabha member. After he left the Rajya Sabha, he was appointed a High Court judge. After retiring as a High Court judge, he was appointed a Supreme Court judge. After retiring from the Supreme Court, the Congress again made him a Rajya Sabha member," he said.
Dubey informed that Baharul Islam was a member of the Muslim League Red Army, which was involved in the Noakhali massacre and played a major role in securing Chittagong and conducting the Sylhet referendum. "Now is the time to correct history. Just as Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is under Pakistan's control and the time has come to reclaim it, the time has also come to reclaim Chittagong Port, Sylhet and Noakhali in the Northeast," he said.
His remarks come as TIPRA Motha Party founder Pradyot Bikram Manikya Deb Barma alleged that "huge parts of erstwhile Tripura Kingdom was seceded to east Pakistan keeping my Grandmother in the dark during partition and this was the darkest period in our nations history". "Today if we had sea access we would no longer be worried about the chickens neck . This strategic blunder by the then Government-of India has cost not just the state of Tripura/Northeast and the nation itself . Our Greater tipraland movement has often been maligned but the real intention has always been to assimilate those parts which were cut off by historical blunders of the past," Mankiya, titular king and head of the royal house of Tripura, posted on X. (ANI)
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