BJP ally Tipra Motha Party, Congress, and CPI(M) slammed the Tripura government for excluding them from PM Modi’s Mata Tripura Sundari temple inauguration. Critics called the move undemocratic, ignoring royal legacy, tribal traditions, and opposition leaders during the historic event.
The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tripura faced sharp criticism on Monday after several political parties, including its ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP), the opposition Congress, and the CPI (M), alleged they were excluded from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s landmark programme in the state.
The Prime Minister inaugurated the redeveloped Mata Tripura Sundari temple, a revered Shakti Peetha and one of the holiest Hindu pilgrimage sites, in Udaipur, southern Tripura. The temple, believed to be 524 years old and constructed by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in 1501, has undergone a massive facelift under the Union Tourism Ministry’s PRASHAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Heritage Augmentation Drive) scheme at a cost of over ₹54 crore.
While the event was hailed as a historic milestone in the state’s spiritual and cultural heritage, the absence of opposition leaders and even allies from the ceremony triggered a political storm.
TMP voices discontent
Senior TMP leader and legislator Ranjit Debbarma strongly criticised the BJP-led state government for failing to extend invitations to TMP leaders, including the party’s supremo, Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma, who belongs to the erstwhile royal family that constructed the temple.
“The Tripura Sundari temple has been associated with tribal traditions and the Manikya dynasty for centuries. It is unfortunate and unacceptable that no member of the royal family or tribal leadership was invited to the event,” Debbarma told the media. He went further to describe the exclusion as a “black day for the state,” warning that such indifference could disrupt the fragile unity between tribal and non-tribal communities in Tripura.
Debbarma also reminded that before Tripura’s merger with India in 1949, the temple was under the ownership of the Manikya dynasty. “Not inviting Pradyot Manikya Debbarma, who carries that legacy, is a grave insult to the state’s history and cultural ethos,” he added.
TMP, which signed a tripartite agreement with the Centre and the Tripura government in March 2023, had joined the BJP-led coalition after the 2023 state elections. Two of its MLAs, Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma, were inducted into the cabinet headed by Chief Minister Manik Saha. Despite being an ally, TMP leaders lamented their complete absence from Modi’s temple programme.
Opposition CPI (M) and Congress condemn exclusion
The discontent was not limited to the BJP’s ally. Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, also the state secretary of CPI (M), accused the BJP of undermining democratic traditions. “The BJP has no democratic spirit. Everything is decided along narrow partisan lines,” Chaudhury remarked, calling the exclusion of opposition representatives “undemocratic and divisive.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman, a member of the All India Congress Committee (AICC) working committee, expressed his anger in a Facebook post. “Prime Minister Modi is the leader of the nation, not of one political party. Events of such magnitude should transcend political boundaries. Instead, the ruling party insulted not only the opposition but also the spirit of democracy,” Barman wrote.
He further accused the BJP of politicising religion. “When a government plays politics even over Goddess Mata Tripura Sundari, it exposes its true character to the people. This behaviour is mean-spirited and condemnable,” the Congress leader added.
Dignitaries present at the ceremony
Despite the absence of TMP, Congress, and CPI (M), the event was attended by a host of dignitaries from the BJP. Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister Manik Saha, former Chief Minister and Lok Sabha MP Biplab Kumar Deb, BJP state president and Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee, along with other senior officials and BJP leaders, accompanied Prime Minister Modi during the temple inauguration.
A cultural milestone clouded by politics
The redeveloped Tripura Sundari temple stands as a symbol of the state’s deep spiritual and historical heritage. However, the controversy surrounding the non-invitation of key political stakeholders has cast a shadow on what could have been a moment of unified celebration.
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For many, the event underscored the growing political rifts in Tripura, where alliances are fragile and opposition parties accuse the ruling BJP of sidelining dissenting voices. For TMP, which recently joined the BJP-led government, the episode could deepen mistrust within the coalition.
As debates continue, one thing remains clear: while the redevelopment of Mata Tripura Sundari temple is a proud achievement for the state, the political discord surrounding the Prime Minister’s visit has highlighted the enduring fault lines in Tripura’s political landscape.
