Bidya Debbarma
Encyclopedia
Bidya Chandra Debbarma was a communist politician from the India
n state of Tripura
. A prominent leader of the communist movement in Tripura, Debbarma spent a total of nine years in jail and 13 years as an underground activist. A six-time state assembly member and minister in the state government, Debbarma never lost any election he contested.
Debbarma grew up in a tribal farmers family in rural Tripura. He could not continue his schooling beyond class VII. He later joined the Royal Army of Tripura, the armed forces of the then monarchy that ruled Tripura. During the Second World War, Debbarma had protested against the Tripura army helping British forces, and was transferred to administrative non-combatant duties as a disciplinary measure.
When reform-oriented forces organized the Janashiksha Samity ('People's Education Society') in 1945, Debbarma become secretly associated with the movement. He was caught, and interned at Khowai jail were he was subjected to torture. A death sentenced was issued against him by the Tripura government, but never executed.
Debbarma became an organiser of the Janashiksha Samity, and mobilised protest activities against the government of Tripura. He also took part in the founding of the Ganamukti Parishad
('People's Liberation Council') movement.
Debbarma became a member of the Communist Party of India
. He was arrested during the 1962 Sino-Indian war
. When the Communist Party was divided in 1964, he took the side of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
and was elected the Tripura state committee of the CPI(M). He would remain a CPI(M) Tripura State Committee member until his death. Moreover, he served as the vice president of the Ganamukti Parishad (the tribal mass organisation of CPI(M) in Tripura).
Debbarma again faced arrests in 1965 (during the Indo-Pakistani War
), 1968, 1973 (during the food movement) and 1975 (during the Emergency, when he was imprisoned for 21 months).
Debbarma was a member of the Tripura
state legislative assembly
between 1967 and 1993, being elected six consecutive times. When the CPI(M)-Congress for Democracy
coalition government was formed in 1977, Debbarma was named Minister in charge of tribal welfare. During his later years, he retired from active politics due to ill health.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n state of Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
. A prominent leader of the communist movement in Tripura, Debbarma spent a total of nine years in jail and 13 years as an underground activist. A six-time state assembly member and minister in the state government, Debbarma never lost any election he contested.
Debbarma grew up in a tribal farmers family in rural Tripura. He could not continue his schooling beyond class VII. He later joined the Royal Army of Tripura, the armed forces of the then monarchy that ruled Tripura. During the Second World War, Debbarma had protested against the Tripura army helping British forces, and was transferred to administrative non-combatant duties as a disciplinary measure.
When reform-oriented forces organized the Janashiksha Samity ('People's Education Society') in 1945, Debbarma become secretly associated with the movement. He was caught, and interned at Khowai jail were he was subjected to torture. A death sentenced was issued against him by the Tripura government, but never executed.
Debbarma became an organiser of the Janashiksha Samity, and mobilised protest activities against the government of Tripura. He also took part in the founding of the Ganamukti Parishad
Ganamukti Parishad
Tripura Rajaer Upajati Ganamukti Parishad is a leftwing movement working amongst the tribal peoples of Tripura, in north-eastern India.-Origins:...
('People's Liberation Council') movement.
Debbarma became a member of the Communist Party of India
Communist Party of India
The Communist Party of India is a national political party in India. In the Indian communist movement, there are different views on exactly when the Indian communist party was founded. The date maintained as the foundation day by CPI is 26 December 1925...
. He was arrested during the 1962 Sino-Indian war
Sino-Indian War
The Sino-Indian War , also known as the Sino-Indian Border Conflict , was a war between China and India that occurred in 1962. A disputed Himalayan border was the main pretext for war, but other issues played a role. There had been a series of violent border incidents after the 1959 Tibetan...
. When the Communist Party was divided in 1964, he took the side of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Communist Party of India (Marxist)
The Communist Party of India is a political party in India. It has a strong presence in the states of Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. As of 2011, CPI is leading the state government in Tripura. It leads the Left Front coalition of leftist parties in various states and the national parliament of...
and was elected the Tripura state committee of the CPI(M). He would remain a CPI(M) Tripura State Committee member until his death. Moreover, he served as the vice president of the Ganamukti Parishad (the tribal mass organisation of CPI(M) in Tripura).
Debbarma again faced arrests in 1965 (during the Indo-Pakistani War
Indo-Pakistani War of 1965
The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. This conflict became known as the Second Kashmir War fought by India and Pakistan over the disputed region of Kashmir, the first having been fought in 1947...
), 1968, 1973 (during the food movement) and 1975 (during the Emergency, when he was imprisoned for 21 months).
Debbarma was a member of the Tripura
Tripura
Tripura is a state in North-East India, with an area of . It is the third smallest state of India, according to area. Tripura is surrounded by Bangladesh on the north, south, and west. The Indian states of Assam and Mizoram lie to the east. The capital is Agartala and the main languages spoken are...
state legislative assembly
Vidhan Sabha
The Vidhan Sabha or the Legislative Assembly is the lower house or the sole house of the provincial legislature in the different states of India. The same name is also used for the lower house of the legislatures for two of the union territories, Delhi and Pondicherry...
between 1967 and 1993, being elected six consecutive times. When the CPI(M)-Congress for Democracy
Congress for Democracy
The Congress for Democracy was an Indian political party founded in 1977 by Jagjivan Ram. It was formed after Jagjivan Ram left the Congress party of Indira Gandhi and denounced her rule during the Indian Emergency...
coalition government was formed in 1977, Debbarma was named Minister in charge of tribal welfare. During his later years, he retired from active politics due to ill health.