Tripura: Protest erupts in Agartala over historic Pushpabanta Palace's proposed conversion into hotel

Two tribal student and youth organizations, including the Youth Tipra Federation (YTF) and the Twipra Student Federation (TSF), have launched a protest in Agartala city against the Tripura Government’s alleged move to hand over the historic Pushpabanta Palace to a private entity for reportedly opening a hotel.

Today, the Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), the youth wing of the Tipra Motha Party, held a protest rally and submitted a memorandum to West District Magistrate Dr. Vishal Kumar opposing the decision.

Speaking with reporters, the president of YTF, Suraj Debbarma, said, “We have come to know that the Pushpabanta Palace, which was built by Maharaja Birendra Kishore Manikya Bahadur Debbarma in 1917, will be handed over to the Taj Group by the Tripura Government. For this reason, we have submitted a memorandum opposing such a decision taken by the state government. We will not allow this. No historical places can be handed over to any group of hotels for business or revenue generation.”

He pointed out that Tripura has a very rich culture and suggested that the Taj Group could build a hotel elsewhere in the state.

Also Read: Tripura: Pradyot opposes five-star hotel plan at historical Pushpabanta Palace

“There is plenty of land available for establishing hotels. They can go to the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council. For this reason, we have submitted a memorandum. Has the government failed to maintain the cultural heritage of Tripura, and is this why they are handing it over to Taj? The government should respond to the people. We are not against development or the Taj Group. We welcome them, but they cannot use the historical places of Tripura,” he said.

Meanwhile, the TSF, which is part of the North East Students’ Organisation (NESO), submitted a memorandum to the Tripura Tribal Welfare Minister, Bikas Debbarma.

The General Secretary, Hamalu Jamatia, said, “While we recognize the importance of development and economic growth, we firmly believe that such progress should not come at the cost of erasing or commercializing our shared historical legacy. The palace represents the historical and cultural ethos of Tripura and its Indigenous communities. Converting it into a luxury hotel will undermine its heritage value and erase its historical significance. If the government wishes to collaborate with private entities like the Taj Group for development, we strongly suggest providing them with a separate piece of land for constructing a hotel.”

“This initiative will not only preserve the palace but also attract tourism and foster pride among the local communities. We, therefore, urge your esteemed office to take immediate steps to reconsider the government's decision and safeguard the heritage of Pushpabanta Palace. We trust in your dedication to preserving the cultural identity of Tripura and ensuring that development aligns with the aspirations of its people,” he added.