Tripura CM Saha strongly counters opposition, defends job recruitment transparency, DA hike efforts, and law & order record. He also announces healthcare initiatives including heart transplants, HIV screening, and mobile blood vans, while exposing the past political violence under the Left regime.
Tripura Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha on Thursday launched a sharp counterattack against the opposition parties, especially the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Congress, accusing them of misleading the public on crucial governance issues like employment, dearness allowance (DA), and law and order. Speaking at the inauguration of a state-level health training event at Prajna Bhavan, Dr. Saha directly addressed criticism by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and other opposition leaders.
In his address, Dr. Saha rejected the opposition’s narrative on job recruitment, stating that under the BJP-led government, employment opportunities have been offered based solely on merit and transparency. “Previously, job offers were distributed from party offices. Everyone knows what happened in the 10,323 teachers’ issue. But our government has provided jobs purely on merit,” he said. He added that over 19,000 jobs have been provided during the current regime and not a single appointment has been legally challenged—a testament to the fairness of the recruitment process.
Calling out the previous Left government’s alleged misuse of authority, Dr. Saha said, “The opposition is trying to mislead the people, but the public knows the truth. We have worked to restore transparency in governance.”
The Chief Minister also addressed the contentious DA issue, noting that the state government raised the Dearness Allowance from 3 percent to 29 percent without any pressure or protests from employees. “We are working to reduce the remaining DA gap despite severe financial constraints. Releasing 1 percent DA requires Rs 100 crore—it’s not an easy task,” he emphasized.
On the matter of law and order, Dr. Saha took a stern tone. He announced plans to visit the families of victims of political violence, arson, and property destruction that allegedly occurred during the Left regime. “In South Tripura alone, there were 69 political murders during their rule. But under our government, not a single political murder has occurred. Let the people judge who truly maintains peace,” he asserted.
Dr. Saha also used the platform to highlight the BJP government’s ongoing efforts in strengthening the state’s healthcare system. He inaugurated a state-level training camp for Dental Medical Officers and Community Health Officers (CHOs), organized under the National Oral Health Programme and National Health Mission (NHM), in collaboration with Agartala Government Dental College and the Indian Dental Association.
The Chief Minister disclosed that the state is considering the launch of a heart transplant programme—a significant step forward in healthcare advancement. He also revealed that a new mechanism is being developed to intensify HIV screening throughout the state.
As part of the event, Dr. Saha flagged off two advanced blood transport vans assigned to the Kailashahar and Bishalgarh hospitals. These mobile units are expected to bolster emergency blood delivery services, improving healthcare accessibility in rural and semi-urban areas.
Dr. Saha further informed the gathering that the state government had already settled claims amounting to approximately Rs 17 crore under the Chief Minister-Jan Arogya Yojana, a health scheme designed to support those left out of the PM-JAY initiative. “We are committed to universal healthcare coverage. Our government is not just promising—it’s delivering,” he said.
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Top state health officials, including Health Director Dr. Tapan Majumder, were present at the function, alongside members of the Indian Dental Association and other key stakeholders.
Through his address, Dr. Saha painted a picture of a government focused on transparency, accountability, and inclusive development. His sharp rebuttal of opposition accusations marked a significant moment in Tripura’s ongoing political discourse.
