Congress meets Governor seeking dismissal of Tripura minister for corruption

AGARTALA: Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) called on Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu, on Thursday, seeking the dismissal of Tribal Welfare Minister Bikash Debbarma from the cabinet accusing him of being involved in multi-crore corruption.
TPCC President Asish Kumar Saha on Friday said a five-member delegation submitted a detailed memorandum accusing the minister of illicitly amassing wealth through improper means.The delegation expressed concerns about the minister’s rapid accumulation of assets, urging the governor to take prompt action.
The memorandum referred to concerns raised by MLA Sudip Roy Barman, a member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC), regarding potential corruption in a Rs 1,400 crore World Bank-funded project intended for the socio-economic development of tribal communities.
The project was initially meant to be executed through the Tribal Welfare Department but was later administered by a separate entity known as the 'TRESP'. Minister Debbarma in connivance with a few officers engaged some consultants and a large number of outsiders were engaged in the project.
In the just concluded assembly session, Congress MLA Sudip Roybarman accused Debbarma of accumulating substantial personal wealth within a year of serving in the current state cabinet.
Alleged assets attributed to the minister included a 3-BHK apartment in Mahavir Enclave, New Delhi, an under-construction house in Lembucherra near Agartala, a petrol station registered under his son’s name, and additional properties near the foothills of Baramura, Champaknagar, where significant construction work is reportedly underway.
The memorandum further highlighted discrepancies between the minister’s assets as declared in his affidavit to the Election Commission and his current financial standing. In the 2023 election, Debbarma had declared himself a social worker with assets worth Rs 56 lakh and loans amounting to Rs 8.67 lakh. His wife was listed as a housewife in the affidavit.
In a press conference Minister Debbarma on Sept 14 acknowledged his ownership of a flat in Delhi and multiple properties in Lembucherra, Nandanagar, and Teliamura, referring to himself as a Zamindar However, the Congress noted that these assets were not declared during the election, suggesting that the minister may have provided false information to the Election Commission.
Meanwhile, BJP State President and Rajya Sabha MP Rajib Bhattacharjee denied the allegation and said, “So far, any such allegations raised by Congress has not yet been found substantial, rather it was an attempt to malign the party. The BJP government in Tripura has been working for the people transparently.”