Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma of the Tipra Motha Party (TMP) has strongly opposed the renaming of Agartala’s Town Hall after Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh. Debbarma has urged Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha to withdraw the announcement, stating that any further attempts to erase the heritage and memories of the royal family will not be tolerated.
The controversy erupted following resistance from opposition parties CPI(M) and Congress over the proposed renaming of the historic structure. Debbarma, speaking at an anti-infiltration rally organized by TMP, accused political parties of engaging in a longstanding effort to erase the legacy of the Manikya dynasty.
He cited examples such as the renaming of Victoria Memorial Hospital to Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital and Astable Ground to Swami Vivekananda Ground, expressing his party’s firm opposition to such actions. However, Debbarma did acknowledge former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for renaming Agartala airport after Maharaja Bir Bikram.
Debbarma proposed the construction of a new structure in Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s name to pay respect to him, rather than renaming the existing Town Hall. CPI(M) MLA Jitendra Chaudhury and Tripura Pradesh Congress president Asish Kumar Saha also voiced their disapproval of the renaming, suggesting the construction of a new auditorium in the city to honor Mookerjee instead.
In addition to the renaming controversy, Debbarma called for the implementation of directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs on identifying and deporting infiltrators. He pointed out that while other states have taken action in this regard, Tripura has yet to do so, urging the Chief Minister to act on the directives promptly.
