It is he whose 'Honesty (?) and White Image (?)' was the main agendas of CPI(M) during the 2013 Assembly Election and practically during the last 10 years. Recently this ' Honesty and White Image' has been brutally exposed in almost all local media and a section of national media like Times of India. It is because of his recent activities, - silence over the ongoing scams - that is really fanning the fire. How shameful it is for a Chief Minister to use Govt officials to issue orders to buy his book ' Atit Diner Smriti Katha' from RMSA fund and that too for such a book that is not at all related with the welfare of students! And after this when the reports of scams in different departments and the looting of Centrally Sponsored funds are now the daily 'HEADLINES', he instead of taking any step against corrupt officials and party leaders , used his power against those who actually found out such scams.

Recently Tripura has been in discussion at the national level not for her natural resources and assets but for the organized crimes being conducted by some officials who are known to be very close to Chief Minister Manik Sarkar. And in return for their loyalty Chief Minister too is doing his best to protect those officials. But after continuous publication of scams news and subsequently a few of the recent steps taken by Manik Sarkar and state govt , it looks like as if Manik Sarkar is someone with 'Tughluqian' nature is now at the helm of administration.

Some of the recent  'Tughluqian' activities of the state govt led by Manik Sarkar are as follows :

1) On June 2, 2014 Addl Secretary, School Education Department Dilip Kumar Debbarma issued a letter vide NO.F.19(38)-SE/RMSA/2010(Loose)  to all 8 DEOs to procure books - 'Atit Diner Smriti' written by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and 'Eker Shathe Ek Mile Egaro (One plus one = Eleven' written by the then Chief Secretary S K Panda from the Annual Grant of RMSA.

      When the news published, Dy Director Amabalika Datta, who was not at all involved in issuing this letter was suspended. But this only paved the way for more significant issue as being angry with the attitude of state govt , some top level employees of the department leaked the Rs 5 crore RMSA scam.

2) Internal Audit Report(IAR) of Bishalgarh R D Block revealed massive Rs 17 crore MGNREGA scam. Director Audit , found misappropriation of MGNREGA fund and accordingly BDO Bimal Chakraborty and others were accused. On 19/05/2014 Director, Audit sent the report to the Finance Ministry saying," The irregularities in SL no1,2 and 6 are very serious nature involving Rs 57.04lakhs and it is proposed that responsibilities may be fixed and recovered the miss appropriated amount from the concerned staff." On the same day Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury sent the Audit Report to Chief Secretary and Chief Minister's Office(CMO) vide No.F.2632/Min/Fin/2014 giving a special Note saying," An FIR should be lodged against the Govt staff i.e, Programme Officer (BDO) and other implementing officers of Laxmibill Gram Panchayat under Bishalgarh R D Block with in 7 days by the R.D.Deptt for misappropriation of Rs 57.04 lakh of public exchequer Govt fund." Again the then Chief Secretary S K Panda too wrote back," This is a serious matter . The deptt may be advised to lodge FIR for recovery of that and initiate disciplinary proceedings for recovery of the loss caused to Govt against concern Govt staff."

     On 23rd May Chief Minister reshuffled the Cabinet and Badal Chowdhury has been removed from Finance Ministry and and in his place Bhanu Lal Saha has been given the charge of Finance Ministry. But this too proved boomerang as some top level Melarmath leaders leaked the IAR to media and immediately it became absolutely clear that Manik Sarkar intentionally removed Badal Chowdhury to protect his specially favoured and corrupt officer Bimal Chakraborty.

3) In the Rs 5 crore RMSA case the charge  'Prevention of Corruption Act' has not only put against Arnab Chakraborty but also against his mother Kajal Rani Chakraborty and his wife Sangeeta Chakraborty. But interestingly the same act was not charged against Rs 17 crore MGNREGA scamstar Bimal Chakraborty as well his wife Tandra Chakraborty and his brothers like DYFI State Secretary Amal Chakraborty. Even none of his relatives is even interrogated yet.

4) In RMSA case police succeeded in arresting Arnab Chakraborty from Kolkata but though Bimal Chakraborty is hiding in his relative Santanu Chakraborty's residence in A D Nagar,  he is yet to be arrested.

5) In the TATA Kalibari incident police took no step initially though Soma Majumder was tortured brutally in broad dayight by the women leaders of Manik Sarkar's party. But the CM controlled Police did not even agree to register FIR. Here also Governor P B Acharya after coming to Tripura called the victim in Governor's house and asked DIG and Tripura Woman Commission Chairperson to take immediate action. And with in 24 hours police made the first arrest.

6) On 20th October CM Manik Sarkar removed honest Audit Director Lalnuna Rojhum, demoted to OSD and got his close aide Sahadeb Das in Director of  Audit position so that a lid on news leak of all scams from Audit Dept can be done.   Additional Secretary, Govt of Tripura issued a notification vide No.F.6(1)-GA(P & T) /13 stating specifically ," In the interest of Public service the Governor is pleased to order as follows with immediate effect and until further orders:

 i) " Sri Lalnuna Rojhum IAS, Director ,Small Savings ,Group Insurance and Institutional Finance with additional charge of Director of Audit is transferred and listed as OSD SIPARD.

ii)  Sri Sahadeb Das, IAS Additional Secretary GA(SA) Department is transferred and listed in Institutional Finance, Agartala. He will also hold the charge of Director, Audit  in addition. ...."

       Now the question that arises from it is obvious. Is the Governor indeed "pleased" ? Interestingly the order was issued during the second hour of 20th October. The Governor was not even in Agartala as he left Agartala around 12 noon and arrived Udaipur and even did not return back. Is the matter indeed communicated to the Governor. If so how can the Governor be pleased to remove such an efficient official especially after skilfully handling to find many scams. Reacting to such activities a top level CPI(M) state committee leader told TIWN," There is no doubt that in recent times the image of the state govt has been severely damaged and Chief Minister Manik Sarkar's honesty too seems to be fake these days. Actually all these are now being taken place as CMO is very weak and everything seems to be a 'HARAKIRI'. " When asked to comment whether there is any danger for the Govt  the leader said," Manik Sarkar probably visualised that his bed is near. And when a man, after enjoying over all authority and popularity for almost 15 years, is being targeted by media, surely he too will be a bit tensed from inside. And now his acts are almost similar to what the TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is doing in West Bengal. "  Indeed, after more than 660 years of the so called ' Pagla Raja' Bin Tughluq and his activities seem to be repeated in a small state Tripura by none other than the top most ruler of the state. 

Activities of Manik Sarkar seem to be a replica of what another Chief Minister of his party did a few years back. No, he is not from Tripura. He is Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee of West Bengal. In the Assembly Election of 2006 CPI(M) led Led Front Govt came to the power in West Bengal by simply demolishing the rivals like Congress and Trinamool. This was even bigger as the party succeeded to increase its seats in compare to what it did in 2001(from 143 to 176). All on a sudden Buddhadeb seemed to take a new turn as Chief Minister and he appeared like an arrogant and dictator ruler; often denying the views of opposition parties especially Trinamool Congress and its supremo Mamata Banerjee. Even some of the senior leaders like Biman Bose, Binoy Konger, Anil Basu, Sushanta Ghosh made very harsh comments against Mamata Banerjee in public. Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee probably could not even imagine that situation would take a 'U' turn with in two years. Suddenly Singoor issue got limelight and after the police firing in Nandigram ,'the massacre' when CPI(M)'s armed cadres from Khejuri virtually took control over Nandigram, CPI(M) state Secretary Biman Bose told in a press conference ," New Sunrise in Nandigram'(Nandigrame Nutan Kore Surjodoy Hoyechhe). Even Budhdhadeb did not hesitate to remark," They are paid back in their own coin." And he further charged up the fuel saying," What we did in Nandigram was a right decision. What do we care for the opposition? We are 234 and they are only 30 " .  This reamark practically divides the people in two divisions:- those with the Left and the ones with Trnamool( popularly termed as 'Amra' and 'Ora' ).People reacted sharply against this and massive political change started from the Panchayat Election and after back to back defeats in Panchayats and Municipal Corporations, CPI(M) got the first big blow in the hands of Trinamool in 2009 Look Sabha Poll where CPI(M) and Left performed badly by winning only 17 seats. And the rest is history. In 2011 Assembly Election Trinamool Congress got absolute majority and defeated the Left Govt after 34 years. In this election CPI(M) got only 40 seats while the Trnamool Congress got 184 seats out of the total 294 assembly constituencies. To add to this the then allies Congress too got 42 while SUCI 1 . At present CPI(M) is merely fighting for 3rd and 4th position. In the recently held by-poll of Basirhat Assembly Constituency CPI(M) candidate even forfeited his deposit. This is even more stunning as CPI(M) won this seat with a huge margin in 6 consecutive time even in 2011 too.   

      Same is the case with Tripura. Manik Sarkar soon after the 2013 Assembly Election, is behaving as if he is the ultimate ruler and no one has the right to say anything against him and his party. There is a well saying proverb," History repeats itself." What had happened to West Bengal may even happen to Tripura too. Manik Sarkar must not forget after the continuous discovery of scams in recent days, his ' Honest and White' image has already been shattered a bit. And his silence over all issues clearly indicates that he is fully aware of such scams and as long as  the looted money goes to his party fund, he seems to be quite happy. Quite arbitrarily, he removed two of the efficient ministers from their posts( Badal from Finance Department and Jitendra Chowdhury from the Industry Dept , packed  to Lok Sabha. All such things are being supported by his big boss Karat & Co. People of Tripura came out strongly against the Congress-TUJS miss rule in 1993 and if Manik Sarkar & Co continue with this present situation, well only God can save him and his party.

        Rightly a section of  senior state committee members of CPI(M) are now saying," Manik is really intelligent enough to use a leading national Bengali daily for promoting him as  ' honest', 'clean ' and ' poorest Chief Minister in the country.' Now time has come when his image of 'honesty' is under tremendous question mark. If he fails to hold grip against corruption, it may lead to his downfall. And at present it is most unlikely that he can do it so easily.

All of us know  "There is no medicine when death knocks at the door(Maran Kaal e oushadh nai )".       

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