Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tripura on Monday to inaugurate the revamped Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, a sacred site Hindus revere as one of the 51 Shakti Peethas. The 524-year-old temple, originally built in 1501 by King Maharaja Dhanya Manikya, got a major upgrade under the government’s PRASHAD scheme from the Union Tourism Ministry. The project cost more than Rs 54 crore and aims to boost pilgrimage and preserve spiritual heritage.
But the event sparked sharp criticism from political rivals and even a key ally of Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Leaders from the Tipra Motha Party (TMP), Congress, and CPI(M) slammed the Tripura state government for leaving them out of the invitation list. TMP, which joined forces with the BJP last year in a coalition twist, felt especially snubbed.
TMP legislator Ranjit Debbarma pointed out that no party leaders, lawmakers, or even their supremo Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma—a descendant of Tripura’s royal family—got an invite. “The temple ties deeply to tribal culture and traditions, yet no tribal leaders showed up at the Prime Minister’s program,” Debbarma told reporters. He called the oversight a “black day” for the state, warning it could strain unity between tribals and non-tribals.
Debbarma also recalled the temple’s history: The Manikya dynasty owned it before Tripura’s merger with India in 1949. TMP, with its 13 lawmakers, had inked a tripartite deal with the BJP and state government in March last year, leading two of its members—Animesh Debbarma and Brishaketu Debbarma—to join Chief Minister Manik Saha’s cabinet.
Opposition voices echoed the frustration. CPI(M) leader and Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, a former minister and MP, accused the BJP of lacking democratic values. “They view everything through a narrow party lens,” he said.
Congress leader Sudip Roy Barman took to Facebook to vent: Modi serves as India’s Prime Minister for everyone, not just one party. He highlighted the “utter discourtesy” shown by excluding opposition lawmakers and leaders from the temple inauguration. “A party that politicizes even Goddess Mata Tripura Sundari has shown its true colors,” Roy Barman wrote, condemning the “mean-spirited” move.
Those who did attend included Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu, Chief Minister Manik Saha, former Chief Minister and MP Biplab Kumar Deb, BJP state president Rajib Bhattacharjee, and other officials. The controversy highlights ongoing tensions in Tripura’s diverse politics, where tribal issues and alliances often make headlines.
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