HT Correspondent
AGARTALA, March 10: Tipra Motha Party founder and royal scion, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, has urged the government to acknowledge and respect the authority of Samajpatis (traditional heads) and Chantai (priests) in matters concerning temple development projects.
Following a review meeting at the 14 Goddess Temple in Khayerpur on the outskirts of Agartala, Pradyot expressed concern over alleged land encroachment and illegal occupation within the temple premises. He highlighted that the traditional heads and priests had raised objections regarding these issues.
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“I had earlier brought this matter to the attention of Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha and local MLA Ratan Chakraborty. Today, we conducted a site visit with Secretary Kiran Gitte and held a meeting to discuss the concerns. A second round of discussions is scheduled to address the issue further. We have learned that a Primary Health Centre (PHC) is being constructed on temple land, which should have involved consultations with all stakeholders, including the traditional heads. The priests and Samajpatis must be given due importance in such matters. Nevertheless, we appreciate the initiative to hold discussions and are committed to resolving the dispute amicably,” Pradyot stated.
Meanwhile, local MLA and former Speaker Ratan Chakraborty clarified that no PHC exists within the Khayerpur Assembly Constituency.
“A PHC is being set up behind the 14 Goddess Temple, but some concerns have emerged regarding the land, with claims that it belongs to the temple. To address these issues, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma inspected the site. Today, we engaged in discussions with government officials to resolve the matter and ensure a fair outcome,” Chakraborty explained.
