By TC News Desk
Agartala, 4th September 2024: Minister Sudhangshu Das found himself in hot water after posting controversial remarks on social media, leading to a protest on Wednesday morning. As the minister was leaving for the Assembly session, workers from the state Youth Congress and NSUI intercepted his car in front of his government residence, protesting by waving black flags and demanding his immediate resignation from the Cabinet.
The protest escalated when Minister Das was forced to exit his vehicle to engage with the demonstrators. Pradesh Youth Congress President Neel Kamal Saha questioned the minister on why he had made such a provocative post, which Saha claimed was an attempt to disrupt the state’s peaceful environment. Minister Das responded by questioning whether any violence had erupted following his post, to which Saha replied by asking why the minister felt compelled to make such a statement if there was no immediate threat.
The exchange grew more heated as the minister cited incidents involving Hindus in Jammu and Kashmir and Kerala, questioning why there was no similar outcry when controversial comments were made by others, including Kolkata Mayor Farid Hakim. Saha, however, insisted that the discussion should remain focused on Tripura and criticized the minister for not maintaining peace in the state.
When pressed on why he deleted his controversial post, Minister Das admitted that he did so following instructions from his party’s leadership. Saha retorted that this indicated even the minister’s own party recognized the post was inflammatory.
The argument took a further turn when the minister brought up the issue of Rohingya immigrants in Tripura, to which Saha responded by criticizing the government’s handling of border security. The confrontation ended with Minister Das losing his temper and dismissing the protest as a political move orchestrated by the Congress party. He then re-entered his vehicle and proceeded to the Assembly.
Following the incident, Youth Congress President Neel Kamal Saha addressed the media, accusing the BJP of attempting to destabilize the state. He reiterated the demand for Minister Das’s resignation, citing the minister’s “provocative” social media post as the reason for the protest. The demonstration was attended by several Youth Congress and NSUI leaders, underscoring the significant political tensions surrounding the issue.
