AGARTALA, June 23 (TIWN): When controversies are hitting centering Tripura Medical College’s existence as a “Private” or a “Govt” College, since Health Minister Sudip Barman has marked the Medical College as a private institution during Friday Assembly, MP Jitendra Choudhury has rubbished the claims of both CPI-M and BJP leaders of the state saying, “Tripura Medical College is totally a Govt College and there shouldn't be any confusion regarding this. At the same time, there should be limits of fee-hikes”. MP Jitendra Choudhury who is right now in Delhi told TIWN over phone, “The issue of TMC as a private or govt college has been very complex but history makes it clear that it’s totally a Govt College. There were debates on this same issue in our time also when BJP sparked the controversies whether it’s a Govt or Private institution. On that time, former Education Minister of Left Govt Tapan Chakraborty said that it’s private College. But I refute even Tapan Chakraborty’s claim. TMC is 100 % Govt run institution. Otherwise how Govt is bearing the salaries and other expenses ?”

However, Jitendra Choudhury further said, state govt never took any fund from central govt for TMC. 

“It was not possible for the Left Govt to open a 100 % state funded Medical College on that time and thus society’s help was taken and some self investments were welcomed. After the GENET  (TMC started in PPP model by Kerala based Global Educational Net in 2006) led corrupt officials had escaped from Tripura, then Govt took the charges and constituted a society”, Jiten Choudhury told TIWN.

In a separate talk, Bhanu Lal Saha (Ex-Finance Minister) told TIWN, "TMC is a private college". Yesterday, Health Minsiter Sudip Barman also said the same. MP Jitendra Choudhury has rejected both the leader’s claim assuring “TMC is 100 % Govt run College”.

The MP also advised the state ruling, opposition leaders to go through the history of Tripura Medical College.