Tripura Chief Minister Prof. Dr Manik Saha on Wednesday criticized the then Left Front government for never recognizing or giving due respect to the Manikya dynasty and Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya for their contribution to the development of the state.
Dr Saha said this after garlanding the statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur at Zero Point, Agartala on the occasion of Birth anniversary of Maharaja Bir Bikram.
He said that the history that everyone needed to know was deliberately kept away from the people, and efforts were made to ensure that the history of the royal period remained only in the past and that no one came to know about it.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been saying again and again, ‘Vikas Bhi, Virasat Bhi’. Those who have worked for our country have to be recognized. Especially the Manikya dynasty, who worked for Tripura, have to be remembered. During the reign of Maharaja Bir Bikram, we saw close coordination and close connection among tribal and non-tribal communities, along with unity and a spirit of living together,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that everyone knows that Maharaja Bir Bikram had visited many foreign countries, and because of this, his thinking was very broad. Among various civic bodies, he established one of the oldest municipal bodies in Agartala and undertook many initiatives for the development of the state.
"Intentionally, the contributions and legacy of the Manikya dynasty and Maharaja Bir Bikram were not given the recognition and prominence they deserved during the previous government. Even today, they continue to remain silent about the remarkable contributions of the Manikya Dynasty. However, our government has taken sincere steps to restore their rightful place in the history of Tripura and accord them the respect and recognition they truly deserve,” he added.