Tripura: Uproar in assembly over scam allegation against forest minister

Agartala: The Tripura Assembly witnessed an uproar amid allegations of scam against Tripura Forest Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia.

MLAs of the opposition CPIM raised slogans against the state government. However, at the end of the session, BJP MLA Sudip Roy Barman questioned the opposition to explain how the scandal happened. But the opposition could not muster a strong response.

A local daily from Agartala on Thursday published a story titled ‘Forest Minister involved in land scam’. Opposition parties raised the issue in the Assembly during the zero hour, and demanded a statement from the Chief Minister. In place of the Chief Minister, Revenue Minister Narendra Chandra Debbarma informed the Assembly that no such land had been allotted to anyone.

“The Tripura government does not encourage any irregularities by the members”, Debbarma said.

As the situation heated up, the deputy speaker Biswa Bandhu Sen adjourned the session for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, Forest Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia announced that he would resign from the cabinet if someone proved the allegations of land scam against him.

However, the opposition did not stop here. Speaking at a press conference, deputy opposition leader Badal Choudhury claimed that the forest minister was trying to take over the forest land by exerting influence.

He said that there was evidence that the forest minister had applied for a land settlement, but he was unknowingly denying it. Opposition leader Badal Choudhury demanded that he resign immediately.

Similarly, Forest Minister Mevar Kumar Jamatia told journalists outside the assembly and dismissed all allegations levelled against him.

“I will resign from the ministry if the allegations of land scandal are proved. A heinous conspiracy was being hatched to tarnish my image before the Autonomous District Council (ADC) elections”, Jamatia said.

Meanwhile, as soon as the second half of the last day’s session began, the opposition MLAs started protesting and raised slogans demanding Jamatia’s resignation.

However, then the Chief Minister continued with his budget speech, and later the MLA returned to their berth.

In the end, MLA Sudip Roy Barman said the forest minister had appealed to the government to take possession of the ancestral land.

“He did not manipulate or influence the officials. There is no evidence of where the scandal took place. I appeal to the opposition party to explain the scandal”, Roy Barman. The opposition could not provide a clear explanation.