Tripura: Twipra Women Federation protests Puspabanta Palace deal with Taj Group

Over 100 women activists from the Twipra Women Federation on December 4 staged a protest at Circuit House in Agartala, demanding reconsideration of the state government’s decision to hand over the historic Puspabanta Palace to the Taj Group. 

Twipra Women Federation (TWF) is the women’s wing of the Tipra Motha party, which is currently in alliance with the BJP government. 

Manihar Debbarma, TWF President, said that the present state government is not giving importance to their sentiments even though they are part of the government.  

“If the government wants to bring Taj Hotel, let it come to the District Council or somewhere else. We have an ample amount of land in Agartala and other places in the state. Why the Puspabanta Palace? Why not other places? A library or museum can be set up—we will not oppose that. But we don’t want a hotel as it will erase history. The name of Puspabanta Palace will be changed. We are opposing it,” she said.  

Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC), Jagadish Debbarma, said that the present government has decided to hand over the historic Puspabanta Palace to the Taj Group to set up a five-star hotel.  

“We are opposing it, and today the women’s wing of Tipra Motha held this protest against the proposal of the state government, demanding that the decision be revoked. We want to request the government to reconsider the decision as the sentiments of people are attached to it. Our history is linked to this, and everyone must come forward against the decision. In the coming days, the entire Tipra Motha party will launch a massive protest,” he said.