Tripura governor attacks Mamata Banerjee government, praises Tripura left leaders

Tripura Governor Tathagatha Roy, in news recently for his controversial tweets on Yakub Memon funeral, is back in the limelight for his veiled attack on the West Bengal government headed by chief minister Mamata Banerji.

"No prizes for guessing but we all know some governments in eastern India are chasing away industry by denying them land and other incentives needed to start business. We all know them and the damage they are doing," Roy told the 2nd Tripura Conclave at Agartala on Thursday night.

This was a clear reference to Indian IT major Infosys threatening to pull out of West Bengal.

Infosys is in partnership with the Bangladesh Summit group to set up the ambitious next generation IT park at Gazipur .

"Those Indian IT majors setting up business in Bangladesh can surely look at Tripura as well because it is next door to Bangladesh," said Roy.

The Tripura Conclave is a private initiative by Bank of America Vice-President (IT) Saumen Sarkar, who hails from Tripura, and provides a policy dialogue platform to strategise for Tripura's future growth and development.

"I may sound cynical because what I am suggesting is that somebody must capitalise on somebody else’s ruin, but Tripura must grab the chance to draw in those industries which are leaving from other eastern states," Roy said in an obvious reference to West Bengal.

He had upset the Indian left recently by tweeting that those attending Mumbai blast convict Yakub Memon;'s funeral were 'potential terrorists'.

The Tripura CPI(M) had described his tweets as 'provocative' and 'uncalled for' but the Governor said he stood by every word he said.

But the way he praised Tripura's Left government on Thursday should gladden the Marxists.
 "The Tripura leaders don’t beat about the bush or mince words, as some others in the region do. They are determined to encourage investments and now there is great scope for it.
 

Second Tripura Conclave on IT held at Rabindra Bhaban

Second Tripura Conclave on IT held at Rabindra Bhaban

"Tripura has peace, its biggest selling point is its political stability, now it has surplus power and India's third Internet gateway is coming up here. This is ideal for the IT industry."

Tripura chief secretary Yashpal Singh praised the Conclave as a 'brilliant effort to get investments into Tripura" and accepted Saumen Sarkar's proposal to form a 'core group' with experts and dynamic ministers and bureaucrats to attract IT investments.

Challenges and prospects of the IT industry was the focus of the 2nd Tripura Conclave. 

The first, held in July last year, focussed on how Tripura could leverage India's Look East poilcy and the opportunities in the neighbourhood.

Bangladesh's former foreign minister Dipu Moni was the keynote speaker at the First Tripura Conclave.

Papers presented at that event have been compiled as a book by eminent journalist Subir Bhaumik and it is being published by the Oxford University Press.