Tripura officer suspended for ordering schools to buy CM's book

The Tripura government has suspended a senior officer and cautioned another for issuing an order to purchase books written by the chief minister and the then chief secretary, an official said here Sunday.

"Ambalika Datta was suspended from service and the government also cautioned Additional Director of School Education D.K. Debbarma," School Education Director Pradip Kumar Chakraborty told IANS.

Datta was the deputy director in-charge of Rashtriya Madhyamik Shiksha Abhiyan (RMSA).

He said the two officers issued an order to the district programme coordinators of RMSA asking them to purchase "Atit Diner Smriti" (Reminiscence of yesteryears) written by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, and "Making One Plus One Eleven - Some Experiences of Tripura" written by former chief secretary Sanjay Kumar Panda.

The official said the order to secondary schools to purchase the two books out of annual grant provided to 839 schools by RMSA during 2013-14 fiscal was issued without taking permission from the appropriate authority.

"A probe is on regarding the issue," Chakraborty added.

The issue rocked the political circle and forced the government to cancel the order and to take action against the officials.

"It is not acceptable. The chief minister should refrain from intervening in suggesting procurement of his own book for school students...," said Congress spokesperson Ashok Sinha.