Agartala, Aug. 19 -- Rebel-turned Tripura MLA from the Tipra Motha Party, Ranjit Debbarma, on Monday accused non-tribal men of deliberately marrying tribal women to exploit tribal benefits.

He urged the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) to cancel Scheduled Tribe (ST) benefits for tribal women who marry non-tribal men.

In his letter dated August 12, Debbarma raised concerns that many people are using such marriages as a loophole to evade taxes and misuse tribal privileges.

The legislator claimed that a large number of non-tribal men intentionally marry tribal women to access benefits meant for the Scheduled Tribes. He alleged that after marrying, these men transfer their businesses and properties to their tribal wives to a...