In middle of campaign for municipal elections and controversy of burning of mosques that later turned out to denied by witnesses, Imams and police, Tripura CM Biplab Deb spoke to The New Indian’s Executive Editor Rohan Dua, accusing Prashant Kishor’s IPAC, TMC and CPIM of trying to inflame passions with plots to disturb law and order in his state. Deb also said Modi government proudly distributed 1.59 lakh houses to Hindus, Muslims and Christians and Rs 709 crore was transferred into villagers’ accounts under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana Gramin Scheme this month.
Q:Considering the fact that just ten days ago we saw this unfortunate controversy, how far have you left behind the controversy and you’re moving ahead. That controversy brought you on a warpath on communal violence and there was an attempt to flare up the violence.
Do you think this was a genuine controversy or people were just trying to manufacture and fabricate that controversy and disturb your state by showing photographs of burning of mosques which was later denied?
A:See, you yourself are saying this is a controversy, so you yourself are giving the answer. When you say controversy, then this means this is a controversy and that has been proved. Now there is nothing left in that. This was a conspiracy by Communists, Congress, Trinamool Congress and some international elements and organizations to create a crisis in India and they could not become successful before the power of saviour is greater than the power of killer. You yourself saw that nothing happened in Tripura. Small incidents happen everywhere.
Q:You also announced the compensation?
A:Only one day people marched and both sides were harmed including shops etc. So we gave the compensation immediately through the local MLA and SDM.
Q:And were the wrongdoers also arrested?
A:Yes, two incidents happened and we have arrested 5 from one side and 1 from another side and there is peace in Tripura. It was an attempt to malign the image of Tripura and the people of the state will never forgive them. Tripura is a very peaceful and politically matured state.
Q:In fact, I saw that when PM Modi announced the scheme, many Muslim families became the beneficiaries, so was this the genuine attempt to allay fears or were they the real beneficiaries?
A:See, people got 1 lakh 59 thousand houses in Tripura at the same time. This has happened for the first time in the history of Tripura and I did not select the beneficiaries. They were selected by the census of 2011 by the last government. If I were a Communist, not even a single person would have become a beneficiary. It was our motto ” Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”. 90% of the beneficiaries are from Communist families but they are our people, Tripura’s people. Modiji says give it to everyone so we also follow the same process. One party system has been running for the last 25 years. Now people are free from that. We do not differentiate on the basis of caste, religion or anything. we just see that by 2022, everyone should have a pakka house as the prime minister said. It was the biggest day in the history of Tripura whent Rs 709 crore transferred to the accounts of poor people. This has happened for the first time in the history of Tripura.
Q:How do you see November 25 municipal body elections?
A:We are confident that BJP will win all the seats of urban body elections in the state. People are with Modiji. So I am pretty confident that all the seats in this area will go to BJP. The whole north-east has seen an era of development under the leadership of PM Modiji and Tripura is also working with that same speed and you will see a new Tripura after two years. Work is in progress on Tripura’s infrastructure, education level, health infrastructure and many other sectors.
Q:And you will definitely leave behind these memories of the mosque incident to come back in power in 2023?
A:People of Tripura will bowl them out (people responsible for the incident) in a 20-20 match in 2023.