AGARTALA, Jan 21 (TIWN): Governor Tathagata Roy on Thursday inaugurated Tripura Statehood Day programme at Rabindra Bhavan.

Aghore Debbarma, the Minister for Tribal Welfare, PWD Minister Badal Chowdhury, and Chief Executive Member (CEM) of TTAADC Radha Charan Debbarma, opposition leader Sudip Roy Barman, Chief Secretary Yaspal Singh and Mayor of AMC Dr. Prafullajit Sinha remain present in the inaugural program.

To mark the occasion, a three day long cultural programme has been organised at Rabindra Bhawan.

As a part of the program, the Governor unveils a folder contained on the theme of “Tripura on Road to Progress”.

Addressing the program, Governor Tathagata Roy said that since Tripura has achieved its statehood it had successfully maintained peace in the state. It has only become possible because of the cooperation of the state government that Tripura has achieved so much development in the state since it has achieved statehood.

It is to be mentioned here that the erstwhile princely states of Tripura and Manipur were merged with India in October 1949 and later became full-fledged states on January 21, 1972. Statehood Day is marked as a day when the union territory of Tripura finally attained statehood on January 21, 1972.

After independence of India, an agreement of merger of Tripura with the Indian Union was signed by the Regent Maharani on September 9, 1947. The Ganamukti Parishad movement led to the integration of the kingdom with India in 1949 within Assam State and the administration of the State was actually taken over by the Government of India on October 15, 1949. Tripura became a union territory without legislature with effect from November1, 1956. On January 21st, 1972 finally attained statehood.

In Tripura, the day is observed across the state. The Statehood Day is marked as a day when the union territory of Tripura finally attained statehood on January 21, 1972.