Agartala: July 17: Tripura Pradesh Trinamool Congress (TMC) launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led state government during a press conference held at the party’s Agartala office on Thursday, alleging governance failures and increasing public distress.
Addressing the media, Youth TMC President Shantanu Saha accused the government of burdening citizens with unjustified tax hikes while neglecting basic services. “The government makes tall claims but fails to deliver. Instead, they are adding financial pressure under the pretext of taxation,” said Saha.
He criticized the poor condition of roads and urban drainage systems, describing open drains as health hazards in the name of the Smart City project. “Rather than solving real issues, the government is busy with optics,” he added.
Saha also voiced concerns over rising electricity bills following the rollout of Smart Meters. He noted that despite earlier assurances from Power Minister Ratan Lal Nath to address complaints, no corrective action has been taken. He further questioned the steep hike in water tax—from ₹40 to ₹60—despite erratic water supply.
On a sensitive note, TMC sought clarification from Chief Minister Manik Saha on illegal immigration, warning against selectively targeting the Bengali community. “The CM himself is a Bengali. Why this selective targeting?” questioned Saha.
Tripura TMC leader Milton Chakma highlighted severe hardships in tribal and hilly regions, where residents lack access to basic amenities such as water, electricity, roads, jobs, and healthcare. While affirming the party’s opposition to illegal immigration, Chakma emphasized that no community should be unfairly blamed.
As a show of dissent, TMC will hold a one-hour protest at Agartala City Centre on July 28, demanding transparency, better infrastructure, and relief from excessive taxation.
Leaders Milton Chakma, Chandi Das Bhattacharjee, Sachin Dutta, and Pinaki Debbarma were present at the press conference.