BJP befooled people, claims Manik

Former Chief Minister and Present leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar today came down heavily on the ruling BJP-IPFT government and claimed that the ruling party had befooled the people of the state in the pretext of empty promises.

Speaking at a hall convention organized by Tribal Youth Federation, he said, prior to the elections BJP leaders traveled the entire lengths and breadth of the state assuring jobs to the youth of every household. But on the contrary, the opposition leader claimed, what we are observing since the new government assumed—the government is preparing for mass downsizing.

“People associated in JICA project workers, casual forest department workers pump operators, Anaganwadi workers and many other unorganized sector workers under various schemes faced the same fate under this regime” The former Chief Minister claimed adding that the government was also trying to privatize public utility sectors.      

For instance, he pointed out, in the 25 years long Left rule not a single government school has been given to the Private sector. But, now, we are observing that the government is willingly handing over schools to private sector—for whom the education is nothing but a matter of commercial interest, he added.

The government is trying to manipulate people in the name of quality education. They are serving the interest of corporate and justifying their misdeeds by highlighting failures of the Left Front government, he alleged and wondered as to how the students of Tripura are serving in various higher posts in state and national level if there was no quality education.

“85 percent of the administrative posts of the state are being handled by the students of Tripura. If they have no quality of education would they have been able to maintain the administration?” Sarkar questioned.      

Speaking on the jobs, he said, about 11,000 women workers are engaged in Mid-day meal project. Now the government has decided to privatize this sector also. Though they denied the fact that the workers would be terminated but the consequences of such workers in Assam tells the same.

He also criticized the central government for their latest decision on Jammu and Kashmir claiming that it was an attack on the democratic rights of Kashmir’s citizens.