No problems with Tripura government, except for minor irritants: Governor

Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy on Friday unfurled the Tricolour at a Republic Day function here and remarked that during his three years as head of the northeast state there had been "no problem" in working with the Manik Sarkar government, "except for some minor irritants".

Roy said the role of a Governor like a diesel generator. "During important events, diesel generator is kept ready and it is used during breakdown of normal power supply. During my three years tenure as Governor of Tripura, except for some minor irritants, there was no problem to work with the government, thus no such situation arose to start the generator as normal power supply was uninterrupted."

He said the Indian Constitution has "given unlimited rights to a Governor to know every aspect and information".

A section of the local media earlier this month had reported that Chief Minister Manik Sarkar had asked Chief Secretary Sanjeev Ranjan and Director General of Police Akhil Kumar Shukla not to heed Governor Roy's direction for a meeting with them.

The Governor and Chief Minister's secretariats have been silent on the issue, though the ruling and opposition parties have been attacking each other and the Governor.

Roy also said that Bangladesh is helping the northeast state in ferrying heavy machinery, food grain and transport fuel from other parts of India through its territory.

"Heavy terrain and uncertain road conditions occasionally put Tripura in a serious awkward position. During these situations Bangladesh helped the state a lot in ferrying heavy machineries for power projects, food grains, transport fuels and cooking gas from other parts of India through its territory," he said, after unfurling the national flag at the Assam Rifles Ground here.

"India and Bangladesh governments are trying to restore the pre-partition rail and road connectivity between the two countries. This would be beneficial for the people of both countries."

He said: "Due to the model code of conduct for the February 18 assembly polls I will not talk on developmental aspects of the state. However, Tripura has abundant natural resources - natural gas, rubber and fruits. The state has rich archaeological sites and huge prospects for further development of the tourism sector."

The Governor said that except for some problem, tribals and non-tribals in Tripura are living in harmony for many decades.

Republic Day was celebrated across the state with several functions held.

--IANS

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