Agartala: A political storm is brewing in Tripura following the proposed renaming of Agartala’s iconic Town Hall after Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. The move has drawn strong objections from opposition parties, including the CPI(M) and Congress, with the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) MLA Ranjit Debbarma leading the charge, urging Chief Minister Manik Saha to withdraw the announcement.
Debbarma, addressing an anti-infiltration rally organised by TMP, an ally in the BJP-led coalition, expressed his firm stance against what he termed as attempts to “erase the heritage and memories of the royal family.” He accused successive political parties of being in a race to obliterate the legacy of the Manikya dynasty, citing historical instances like the renaming of Victoria Memorial (VM) Hospital to Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital by the Congress-led government, and Astable Ground to Swami Vivekananda Ground by the Communists. “We will not tolerate further attempts to erase the heritage and memories of the royal family,” Debbarma asserted, while, however, acknowledging former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for renaming Agartala airport after Maharaja Bir Bikram. He appealed to the Chief Minister to reconsider the decision, suggesting that a new structure be built in Mookerjee’s name to truly honour him.
The sentiment of disapproval was echoed by CPI(M) MLA and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, who stated, “I strongly oppose the CM’s announcement to rename Town Hall after Mookerjee. The structure was built four decades ago. I am not against naming any new auditorium, school, or hospital after their leader. I urge the government to build a new auditorium in the city and name that after Mookerjee.” Tripura Pradesh Congress president Asish Kumar Saha mirrored these views, adding, “Our party is not against naming structures after renowned persons, but it should be done after constructing a new auditorium in the city.” In a separate but related appeal, Debbarma also called for the swift implementation of Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directives regarding the identification and deportation of infiltrators, highlighting that other states like Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Assam have already acted on these directives, while Tripura is yet to follow suit.
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