Agartala: Tripura Tourism Minister Sushanta Chowdhury responded sharply to former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s criticism of the recently held Tripura Tourism Promo Fest.
Sarkar had alleged that the state government spent Rs 7 crore on the event, specifically for a music performance by Shreya Ghoshal, and questioned the transparency of the expenditure.
Chowdhury challenged Sarkar to provide details about how and where the Rs 7 crore was spent, refuting the claims as baseless. He pointed out that the Tourism Department had been almost non-existent during the CPI(M)’s 20-year rule under Sarkar’s leadership, with little effort to promote the state’s tourism potential.
In his statement, Chowdhury remarked, “During your tenure, the tourism department was a ‘lark’s den,’ and there were no meaningful efforts to showcase Tripura’s tourism. Tourists hesitated to visit places like Jampui, Dumbur, and Chobimura due to the fear of extremist activities under your government.” He also highlighted the law and order issues during Sarkar’s rule, referencing high-profile incidents such as the murder of Health Minister Bimal Sinha and the brutal killing of Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shukhram Debbarma.
Minister Chowdhury also criticized Sarkar for being unable to accept the success of the Promo Fest and the public enthusiasm surrounding it. He pointed out that many CPI(M) MLAs had attended the event, which contradicted Sarkar’s criticisms. “If you had observed the people’s enthusiasm during the event, you would have understood its significance better,” Chowdhury added.
Chowdhury further claimed that the CPI(M) had lost its political relevance, with Sarkar’s criticisms reflecting the party’s diminishing acceptance among the public. He concluded by challenging Sarkar to provide evidence of the alleged misuse of funds, emphasizing that constructive criticism would be more beneficial than baseless allegations.
Read More: Assam: Pramod Boro Unveils ‘Vision Document’ for Bodoland’s Development and Peace