NEW DELHI / AGARTALA, November 25 (TIWN): Chief Minister Manik Sarkar alongwith 20 MLAs of his party left for Delhi to participate in the ' Dharna' to be organized by the CPI(M) in protest against the curtailment of MGNREGA fund for Tripura . The Dharna ( Sit in Demonstration) will be held on 26th November in front of the Parliament House. The ' 'poorest and honest(??)' Chief Minister Manik Sarkar is the main orator on behalf of his party in Delhi on this occasion. Interestingly this programme is being organized at a time when the state govt is busy to get the official confirmation regarding Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit on December 1. Not only in the inaugural programme of OTPCs 726.6MW thermal power plant in Palatana but also to give the PM warm reception in various other proposed programmes. Now the question is when Prime Minister himself is scheduled to visit Tripura on the very first day of December, isn't it a sheer wastage of Govt fund in the name of sit in Demonstration?

         A top level Melarmath brass told TIWN over phone late on Tuesday," Only for air travel in Agartala-Kolkata-Delhi and back in Delhi-Kolkata-Agartala routes at least Rs 20,000/- will be spent for each MLA. As 20 MLAs are now visiting Delhi , the total cost involved only in air travel is minimum of Rs 4 lakh ( the actual figure is even more). And these MLAs won't bear the fooding and lodging expenses in Delhi ( for two days) on their own. It means more than Rs 5 to 6 lakh will be spent to arrange their ' happy stay ';in Delhi. As of now it seems that Chief Minister Manik Sarkar who has completely failed to control unabated corruption during the last five years, has decided to take 20 MLAs belonging to his lobby in a 'Winter vacation trip' to Delhi. The outcome of this programme will be a complete Zero. " According to a highly placed source in state govt, as per the instruction from Manik Sarkar and CPI(M) party, approx Rs. 50 lakh will be spent for organizing this Drama of ' Protest against curtailment of MGNREGA fund' . Again CPI(M)'s Tripura unit will have to arrange the loins share of expenses of this programme.

     As the programme will be attended by Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and 20 MLAs of his party, it is quite obvious that the total expenses will be borne from govt fund, though officially party will deny it. But a top level govt official told TIWN," Already instructions has been sent from  State Cabinet to arrange the total funding, which is likely to be wasted during this drama of Manik & Co. Accordingly a top brass of govt officials already planned to show ' miscellaneous adjustments' of more than Rs 50 lakh. " But the question is 'What is the need for such programme? '. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come to Tripura on 1st of December. During this visit state govt  or CPIM can easily submit its Memorandum of demands. And the demand list may have the inclusion of the ' Curtailment of MGNREGA' issue. Actually everything is a got-up drama ( in cricketing term its Match Fixing).

       There is no denying of the fact that during the last 10 years( during the UPA regime) Centrally sponsored funds have been the major funding sources for running CPI(M) party and a large section of its party's leaders' extravagance. But soon after coming to power NDA Govt especially Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken strict measures against the uncontrolled sanction of Centrally sponsored funding. Suddenly since May'2014,  various scams in different centrally sponsored funds have been unearthed in Tripura.

Some of these scams are given bellow:-

1) Rs 50 crore MGNREGA scam in Bishalgarh R D Block

2) Rs 40 crore scam in NRHM in Kailashar CMO OFFICE

3) Rs 14 crore scam in Rupaichhari R D Block

4) Rs 1.27 crore scam in Udaipur Municipal Council

5) Rs 5 crore RMSA scam in School Education Department

This can be made larger by inclusion of massive scams in different departments and blocks.. It is now certain that after getting the datewise news of corruption and looting of MGNREGA funds by CPI(M) party leaders and corrupt officials, Centre has decided to curtail the MGNREGA fund. And the programme on 26th November is simply a drama after the set back of Manik Sarkar's so called ,' Clean' and ' Honest' image. But in order to make political campaign by wasting govt funds which are nothing but tax payers money. This is purely a double standard role of Manik Sarkar and his Co.