Tipra Motha MLA on Town Hall renaming: "Won't tolerate attempts to erase heritage of royal family"

Amid strong objection over renaming Agartala’s Town Hall after Syama Prasad Mookerjee, founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, Tipra Motha Party (TMP) MLA Ranjit Debbarma urged Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha to withdraw the announcement. He stated that further attempts to erase the heritage and memories of the royal family would not be tolerated.

The development follows resistance from two opposition parties — CPI(M) and the Congress — over the proposed renaming of the decades-old structure.

Addressing an anti-infiltration rally organised by TMP, an ally of the BJP-led coalition in the northeastern state, Debbarma alleged that political parties have long been in a race to erase the legacy of the Manikya dynasty.

“The Congress-led government had renamed Victoria Memorial (VM) Hospital to Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital. Sukanta Academy was once a darbar hall during the princely rule. The Communists renamed Astable Ground as Swami Vivekananda Ground. We will not tolerate further attempts to erase the heritage and memories of the royal family,” Debbarma said.

The former rebel-turned-politician, however, thanked former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb for renaming Agartala airport after Maharaja Bir Bikram.

“I request the CM to roll back the announcement of renaming Town Hall after Syama Prasad Mookerjee. Let there be a new structure in his name to pay respect to him in the true sense”, he said.

CPI(M) MLA and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury also voiced disapproval.

“I strongly oppose the CM’s announcement to rename Town Hall after Mookerjee. The structure was built four decades ago. I am not against naming any new auditorium, school, or hospital after their leader. I urge the government to build a new auditorium in the city and name that after Mookerjee,” Chaudhury said.

Echoing similar sentiments, Tripura Pradesh Congress president Asish Kumar Saha said, “We oppose the government’s plan to rename the Town Hall after Mookerjee. Our party is not against naming structures after renowned persons, but it should be done after constructing a new auditorium in the city.” Later in his address, Debbarma demanded the implementation of the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on identifying and deporting infiltrators.

“Many states such as Delhi, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, and Assam have acted following the directives of the MHA to detect and deport the infiltrators, but it has not been done yet in Tripura. I request the CM to implement the directives.