Agartala:CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar on Thursday said allegations of corruption against Chief Minister Manik Sarkar were part of a larger ploy hatched by the CIA to destabilise the Left Front government in Tripura.
Addressing a press conference here, Mr Dhar launched a broadside against opposition parties and the media for focusing on corruption under the Manik Sarkar government.
“It is an attempt to malign the Chief Minister and disrupt the state government and is part of a greater conspiracy hatched by the CIA,” he said.
Denying Mr Sarkar’s involvement in any of the corruption charges, he said the party’s state committee would take legal recourse against the opposition and the media for bringing baseless allegations against him.
He said a government official issued the order to purchase the CM’s book and the ex-Chief Secretary’s book with funds from the Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan where he doesn’t have any role.
“The Left government does not hesitate in acting against misuse of public office. The due processes of law are already in motion. Investigation is being carried out as per rules and none of the accused will be spared,” Mr Dhar claimed.
Mr Sarkar, known to be the poorest Chief Minister of the country, has been leading a simple life and is a Marxist icon in India. Allegations were recently brought against him for indulging in corruption of the Centrally-sponsored fund, including MGNREGA, to the tune of Rs 500 crore so far. He reportedly removed senior-most member of his cabinet Badal Choudhury from the finance portfolio immediately after directing the administration to lodge an FIR against the younger brother of CPI-M youth wing DYFI’s state secretary and former BDO of Bishalgarh block for misappropriation of MGNREGA fund of Rs 44 crore. Mr Sarkar had also been accused of misusing his office by one of his close publishers to do business from Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA) fund who published his book and another documentation of former Chief Secretary of Tripura and present Textile Secretary S K Panda.
Mr Dhar alleged that the opposition Congress and a section of the media intentionally associates Mr Sarkar’s name in all scams of the state. (UNI)
