Agartala, Feb 9: Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha has launched a sharp attack on the Tipra Motha Party-led Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), warning that the state government is prepared to bring to light what he termed as “every unethical act” allegedly committed by the present council. Claiming that the administration is fully aware of developments within the tribal body, Saha said serious lapses in governance and financial discipline have adversely affected people’s welfare.
Speaking to the media, the Chief Minister alleged that the TTAADC has failed to release pensions to its retired employees, blaming the situation on poor financial management. He said the inability to pay pensions reflected indiscipline in spending by the council leadership. Referring to the council headquarters at Khumulwng, Saha clarified that neither the Centre nor the state government provides separate funds for pensions, and that such liabilities must be met through prudent utilisation of the council’s allocated resources.
Saha further accused the Tipra Motha-led council of violating legal provisions by delaying elections to Village Committees (VCs). He claimed that the council did not hand over power after the expiry of its tenure and stalled the electoral process following the formation of new village committees. Elections to 587 village committees, originally scheduled for February 2021, are yet to be conducted, a delay the Chief Minister said has disrupted grassroots governance and affected public welfare.
Targeting Tipra Motha’s claims over resolving the long-pending Reang refugee issue, Saha asserted that the rehabilitation process was completed only after 23 years of sustained efforts and said no political party or individual should seek undue credit for it. He also rejected the party’s claims of facilitating the return of surrendered militants from the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and the All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF), stating that the initiative was undertaken by his government with the Centre’s support.
The Chief Minister said the Centre had sanctioned ₹250 crore for the rehabilitation of surrendered militants under a peace accord and added that the government is working to involve political leaders in strengthening the peace process. Earlier in the day, Saha also welcomed the induction of 413 individuals from various political parties into the BJP-IPFT alliance, describing it as a sign of growing public support.
