The Tripura Legislative Assembly on the first day of the Monsoon session witnessed stormy scenes on Thursday after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath described the opposition CPI(M) as an "anti-national" party and a "foreign agent", triggering sharp protests from opposition legislators and forcing the Speaker to adjourn the House up to lunch period.
The controversy erupted shortly after the Question Hour when Minister Ratan Lal Nath referred to the recent three-day visit of Cuban Ambassador Juan Carlos Marsán Aguilera to Tripura to celebrate the centenary birth anniversary of Fedal Castro.
Nath alleged that during his visit, the Cuban envoy had visited only the CPI(M) state headquarters and no other political party office. Referring to a programme held at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala on August 21 last, Nath said the ambassador criticized the United States for its "colonial mindset" while praising Tripura’s greenery and comparing it with that of Cuba.
Nath further claimed that Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Jitendra Chaudhury had expressed "regret" over India’s colonial mindset during the event, asserting that India had never colonised or occupied any other country.
The minister also alleged that neither the national anthem nor the national song was played at the programme. He claimed that only a small paper national flag was displayed, while large Cuban national flags were prominently placed at the venues in Sabroom and in Agartala .
His remarks sparked a heated verbal exchange between treasury and opposition legislators. Nath accused the Left party of disrespecting nationalism and was heard asking CPI(M) members to leave the House. He also asked the speaker whether the nationalist legislators and ‘anti-national’ legislators will present in the House.
Responding strongly, Chaudhury said, "Who are you to ask me to leave the House? And called the BJP legislators as ‘agent’ of the British.
As the uproar intensified, Speaker Rampada Jamatia adjourned the Assembly till noon. Proceedings resumed after the recess without further disruption.
Later, speaking to reporters outside the Assembly, Chaudhury accused Nath of twisting his remarks to target the opposition and to divert the prominent issues of the state, which are scheduled for discussions.
"We love and respect our nation, but not in the way the BJP and RSS, who had no role in the country's freedom struggle. The RSS did not hoist the national flag at its headquarters until 2002. Now they are trying to lecture us on nationalism," Chaudhury claimed.