AGARTALA, Aug 8 (TIWN): Opposition CPI-M has condemned Pratima Bhowmik's presence in Footballers felicitation progamme held on August 6. CPI-M leader Ex-Deputy Speaker Pabitra Kar said, "The programme was dedicated for footballers but the Sports Minister was absent. Apart from Sports Minister, TTADC members were also absent and stayed uninvited". "In last 25 years it never happened. In few cases by mistake if anybody stayed uninvited we have apologized. But a Party's Maha-Matri is sitting with CM in Govt programme is unexpected and public are condemning the incident too". The controversy erupted after Chief Minister Biplab Deb took her Party Secretary (Mahamantri) Pratima Bhowmik in Sports & Youths Affairs programme. On Monday in the felicitation programme organized for the players of ADC, who have won the championship trophy at Asian level, Pratima Bhowmik was sharing dais with Chief Minister and other officials, which sparked controversy on spot.

Question raises, instead of taking Sports Minister Manoj Deb and ADC CEM Radha Charan Debbarma, why a BJP leader was taken at there ?

This was the first time that Sports & Youth Affairs Dept has practiced such a process.

On Monday actually the main programme was announced by TTADC where the students were to felicitated, but CM has chosen same date without inviting CEM of ADC Radhacharan Debbarma in the programme. However, BJP Sports Minister Manoj Deb's absence's reason was also not announced, rather Chief Minister criticized the previous Govt even though ADC belong to CPI-M's governance and the students were sent by TTADC administration.

Tripura Govt has felicitated state's Football players (Under-17) for winning the Championship defeating Pakistan at Students Olympic Asian Games at Bhagat Singh Yuva Awas, but both the Sports Minister Manoj Deb of BJP Govt and Chief Executive member of ADC Radhacharan Debbarma were missing from the programme. 

"When CM himself claim that no politicization of administration will be tolerated, he himself has invited the BJP leader in that programme", Pabitra Kar said.

CPI-M leader Pabitra Kar while addressing media further said that CM often conducts meeting without informing the concerned Dept's Minister, which is inappropriate.