HT Correspondent
AGARTALA, Dec 28: Tourism minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Saturday criticised former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar for allegedly spreading misinformation regarding the recently held Tripura Tourism Promo Fest. Minister Chowdhury challenged Sarkar to substantiate claims that Rs 7 crore was misused during the event, which aimed to showcase the state’s tourism potential.
The Tripura Tourism Promo Fest, held for the first time, concluded with a grand finale featuring a live performance by renowned singer Shreya Ghoshal at Swami Vivekananda Maidan in Agartala. Sarkar, however, questioned the expenditures, claiming, “Rs 7 crore was spent on music in one night. Ministers were sitting till midnight—I don’t know if they were dancing.”
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Responding sharply, Chowdhury accused the former CM of baseless allegations and highlighted the neglect of tourism during the 20-year rule of the CPI(M). “During your tenure, the tourism department was virtually non-functional, used only to promote leftist ideology through comrade artists. You did nothing to promote destinations like Jampui, Dumbur, or Chobimura, which remained underutilized due to fear of extremism,” Chowdhury said.
He also pointed out dark incidents from the CPI(M) era, including the murders of health minister Bimal Sinha, opposition MLA Madhusudan Saha, and Sadar Sub-Divisional Magistrate Shukhram Debbarma. “Tripura was notorious for such incidents during your time. Tourists avoided the state for security reasons,” the minister added.
Chowdhury dismissed Sarkar’s remarks as an attempt to downplay the success of Promo Fest-2024, which received widespread public appreciation. “Even CPI(M) MLAs took passes for their families to attend the event. Instead of criticizing the government’s efforts, you should acknowledge the enthusiasm the festival generated,” he said.
The minister further taunted Sarkar, suggesting he could have witnessed the public excitement from the roof of his residence or while driving through the city. Chowdhury also accused Sarkar of political irrelevance, stating, “Your criticism stems from frustration over the CPI(M)’s loss of public acceptance.”
Concluding his statement, Chowdhury challenged Sarkar to provide evidence supporting his claims. “You were the chief minister for 20 years. If you can, show where and how Rs 7 crore was spent. Speak responsibly and judge the government’s achievements constructively,” he said. The Tripura Tourism Promo Fest is seen as a landmark initiative to put Tripura on the tourism map, with the government vowing to continue efforts to boost the sector.
