Agartala: Tensions flared in Tripura’s Unakoti district after CPI(M) leader and Opposition head Jitendra Chaudhury urged Chief Minister Manik Saha to reinstall the statue of renowned communist leader Baidyanath Majumder at its original site. The appeal came shortly after an idol of Lord Ram was installed at the same location, sparking political debate and cultural concerns.
In a letter addressed to the chief minister, Chaudhury expressed dismay over what he described as a disregard for the state’s historical and cultural fabric. The site in question previously housed the statue of Baidyanath Majumder, a former deputy chief minister and a towering figure in Tripura’s communist movement. That statue was controversially removed and allegedly discarded into the Manu River following the BJP’s rise to power in the 2018 Assembly elections.
Referring to the recent developments, Chaudhury noted that “like the people of the state,” the chief minister might also be pained by the symbolic replacement. “This act goes against the spirit of our state’s tradition and culture,” he wrote. He called on the chief minister to not only reinstate the statue of the late leader, who he said devoted his life to the service of the people, but also to relocate the newly placed idol of Lord Ram to a location where it could be respectfully maintained.
The incident has reignited political tensions, especially as the CPI(M) had already been in the process of planning a new statue to honour Majumder’s legacy. Meanwhile, BJP’s Unakoti district president Bimal Kar denied any involvement of party members in the installation of the idol, distancing the organisation from the controversy. He addressed a press conference in Kailashahar, stating that the move was not coordinated or endorsed by BJP leadership.
As both sides stand firm, the issue has stirred deeper discussions about the interplay of politics, religion, and memory in public spaces—raising questions not only about heritage, but also about the narratives that define Tripura’s identity moving forward.