Agartala, 7th June 2026: Panchayat Minister Kishor Barman today criticized the former CPI(M) government, alleging that blood donation during its rule was not voluntary but was “exploited” from ordinary citizens and office-going workers.
He made the remarks while responding to former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar’s claim that the number of blood donation camps has significantly fallen after the BJP came to power. The Minister was speaking at the inauguration of a blood donation camp at Nalchar in Sepahijala district.
Barman stated that official data would clearly show how many blood donation camps were held in different periods, asserting that the figures would reveal the reality.
“In the past, blood was not donated, it was taken. The blood of poor people was taken, and even the blood of office workers was taken,” he alleged.
He further claimed that in many offices during the previous regime, clerical staff—often associated with ruling party organisations—held undue influence, sometimes even more than senior officials. According to him, employees were pressured into following directives and contributing regular subscriptions, with threats of administrative action or transfer for non-compliance.
The Minister also recalled his own student days, alleging that in colleges, clerical staff linked to the ruling party organizations exercised authority over institutional decisions, with others compelled to comply with their instructions and pay various subscriptions regularly.
