Tripura: Students protest against handover of Pushpabanta Palace
Tripura: Students protest against handover of Pushpabanta Palace

Agartala: Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) on Tuesday staged a sit-in protest against the alleged move of the Tripura Government to hand over the Pushpabanta Palace to a private entity.

The organisation threatened to start a massive protest if the government failed to reconsider the decision.

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In a press statement Hamalu Jamatia, General Secretary of TSF said that the Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF) strongly condemned the decision of the Government of Tripura to hand over the Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Museum and Cultural Centre (formerly Pushpabanta Palace) to a private entity, the Taj Group, for the establishment of a hotel.

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“While we wholeheartedly support the development of Tripura and welcome the entry of Taj and other five-star hotels to invest in our state, we firmly oppose the decision to hand over a significant piece of our heritage and identity to a private party”, he said.

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Jamtia added, “Pushpabanti Palace is not just a building; it is a symbol of Tripura’s indigenous pride and rich history. We acknowledge that such investments can generate employment and boost tourism in the state.”

“However, we believe this should not come at the cost of our cultural heritage and sentiments. We urge the Government of Tripura to provide an alternative site for the establishment of luxury hotels and not sacrifice a vital part of Tripura’s identity for private commercial interests”, the statement read.

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He said that in light of this, TSF leaders organized a sit-in protest in front of Pushpabanta Palace to draw the government’s attention to this pressing issue.

“If our demands are not met, we will escalate our efforts and organize a massive protest rally involving the indigenous people of Tripura. We appeal to the Government of Tripura to reconsider this decision and protect the sentiments and heritage of the indigenous communities”, he added.