Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury and Agartala Mayor Dipak Majumder defended the BJP-led government’s move to rename Agartala Town Hall after Syama Prasad Mookerjee. They dismissed opposition criticism as politically motivated and highlighted past instances where public assets were named after prominent leaders, including Left figures, across the state.
The BJP-led Tripura government’s recent decision to rename Agartala’s historic Town Hall after Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mookerjee has sparked a wave of political debate. While opposition parties have criticized the move, the ruling BJP has strongly defended its decision, describing it as a long-standing party demand rooted in respect for national icons.
Transport Minister and senior BJP leader Sushanta Chowdhury on Monday addressed a press conference at the BJP state headquarters to clarify the government’s position. “The opposition is trying to create a false narrative by claiming that the Chief Minister unilaterally decided to rename the Town Hall. That is completely untrue. This was a long-standing demand of our party. The decision was taken only after thorough consultation with all stakeholders,” Chowdhury said.
The Minister further added that the Chief Minister, Dr. Manik Saha, had taken the final call after evaluating public opinion and internal discussions. Expressing gratitude, Chowdhury said, “We thank the government for approving this decisive step. It is a proud moment for our party and all those who believe in honouring the legacy of great national leaders.”
Responding to criticism from the opposition, particularly CPIM politburo member and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, Chowdhury said, “The Leader of Opposition objected to the renaming on the grounds that the Town Hall, inaugurated four decades ago by then Vice President Venkat Raman, holds cultural significance. He believes it should not be renamed. I would like to remind him that many Town Halls across the world have been named after eminent personalities who contributed to national development.”
He also questioned the hypocrisy of the opposition. “The CPIM government never respected the royal family of Tripura. In fact, they demolished part of the royal-era palace to build the Town Hall. Now, they are opposing the renaming just for political gains,” he said.
Chowdhury strongly justified the renaming by invoking Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s contributions to India. “He sacrificed his life for the integrity and unity of the country. The criticism from the Left clearly reflects their disregard for nationalist icons. In contrast, they have named numerous assets in Tripura after Left leaders and even foreign ideologues like Marx and Engels who had no connection to India,” he pointed out.
Listing several examples, the Minister said, “Dasarth Deb Stadium is named after the former CPIM Chief Minister. Bimal Sinha’s name is attached to the Kamalpur hospital. Baidyanath Majumder’s name is given to the Kailashahar College. These institutions still bear their names, and rightly so. We are not erasing ‘Town Hall’—we are simply adding SP Mookerjee’s name as a prefix.”
When asked about criticism from Tipra Motha MLA Ranjit Debbarma, Chowdhury responded, “He might be misinformed. Let us not forget, it was our BJP government that renamed places like Baramura and Gandacherra in recognition of their indigenous Kokborok names. We also named the Agartala airport after Maharaja Bir Bikram. The move to rename the Town Hall is intended to honour a towering figure in Indian politics, not to score political points.”
Meanwhile, Agartala Municipal Corporation Mayor Dipak Majumder also came out in support of the decision. “There is no fixed rule that prevents attaching the name of an eminent personality to a Town Hall. Under CPIM rule, many assets were named after individuals who contributed to deepening the ethnic divide in Tripura. We are doing just the opposite—honouring a man who stood for national unity,” Majumder said.
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Both leaders dismissed opposition protests as attempts to stir unnecessary controversy. They emphasized that the BJP-led government is committed to preserving national heritage while also recognizing figures who contributed to India’s unity and development.
As the debate rages on, the government appears firm in its stance. The Town Hall may soon carry the prefix of Syama Prasad Mookerjee, becoming another symbol in the state’s evolving political and historical narrative.
