CPI(M) dismisses BJP chief Nadda’s claims, says BJP inaugurating projects started during Left regime in Tripura

Chaudhary told reporters at the CPI(M) state headquarters in Agartala, “They pushed the state to darkness. The BJP president should have apologised to the state but he hailed the activities of the government. The BJP can’t tell the truth. The result? Their Khumulwng rally had poor attendance, which is a befitting reply by the tribals of ADC”.

During his stay here, Nadda had said that all Vision Document promises were fulfilled by the BJP government here and he was confident his party would be voted back to power with a two-third majority based on its performance in education, health, infrastructure development, and women empowerment among other sectors.

Nadda took a swipe at the Left Front saying that shadows of 35 years of Left government were still seen in the state and claimed nothing was done for women empowerment, youths were exploited and tribals were ignored during the Left regime.

Chaudhury, who had been a minister in the Manik Sarkar Cabinet and a former MP, stressed the various achievements during the Communist era, especially the women’s reservation that was first introduced in the state.

He also said that the uplift of tribal community was reflected during the Left regime and Nadda’s claim that the BJP was synonymous to tribal development was indeed “humiliating” to indigenous communities. Chaudhary, a veteran tribal leader, alleged that the benefits of the Centre’s ambitious Rs 1,300-crore project for connectivity and livelihood development in tribal areas were not reflected in reality.

Chaudhury also contradicted the BJP chief’s claims of having turned Tripura into the gateway of South East Asia. He said that the work for Indo-Bangla connectivity projects such as Maitri Setu (Friendship Bridge) at Belonia started during the Left era. “The work for upgrading the state’s airport to international standards started during the Left regime which allocated government acquired land for the project and finished other formalities. The BJP-led government simply inaugurated the installation during its tenure,” he said.

Chaudhury also ruled out the state government’s claims of a 30 per cent per capita income hike and said the hike was unlikely as several people have lost their livelihood.

“The state government claimed success in building six national highways in Tripura. There are works going on now but these works were already sanctioned during the previous tenure,” Chaudhary said. He took a dig at “the credit taken by the BJP government for promoting the fruits of Tripura abroad” and questioned if jackfruit, pineapple orchards in the state expanded in tandem with the success stories propagated by the government.

He also opposed the claims of the state government in connection with Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY), public healthcare, curb in political violence, etc, and said that the law and order situation has deteriorated to the extent that people were forced to put up night security teams in the vicinity of Agartala city to check rising incidents of theft and dacoity.

On a different front, Jitendra Chaudhary criticised the assaults on BJP supporters ahead of Nadda’s rally at Khumulwng and reiterated that the CPI(M) would continue its tirade against the saffron party in a democratic manner and not through violence.