Agartala, Jan 3: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on December 2 voiced concern over the increasing amount of time young people spend on social media, urging them to turn towards books for knowledge and intellectual development. Speaking at the inauguration of the Agartala Book Fair at the Badharghat International Fairground, Saha emphasised that reading remains an irreplaceable source of learning and personal growth.
The chief minister appealed to parents and guardians to actively encourage children to develop a reading habit from an early age, saying this responsibility begins at home. He also called for the revival of the once-popular tradition of gifting books on social occasions, noting that such practices had played an important role in shaping a reading culture in Tripura in the past.
Highlighting the scale of the event, Saha said the book fair features 183 stalls and has adopted ‘Vande Mataram’ as its central theme. Referring to the theme, he recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appeal to mark the 150th anniversary of the iconic song and praised the organisers for choosing a theme rooted in national sentiment.
The chief minister further pointed out that while publishers from different parts of the country are participating in the fair, no publishers or booksellers from Bangladesh are present this year due to the prevailing situation across the border.
The Agartala Book Fair is expected to attract a large number of visitors, offering readers a diverse range of books and reaffirming efforts to promote reading as a meaningful alternative to excessive screen time in the state.
