Maharaja Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, the architect of modern Tripura, was on Thursday remembered across the state on his 113th Birth Anniversary.

 

Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb paid tribute to Maharaja Bir Bikram, the last ruler of the state, in the central programme at Rabindra Satabarshiki Bhavan in Agartala.

 

Speaking in the programme organized by the Information and Cultural Affairs department, Deb said that the initiatives taken by Maharaja Bir Bikram helped Tripura reach new heights in various fields including Education.

 

“Inspired by the principles of Maharaja Bir Bikram, our government is now working with the goal of transforming Tripura into an Atmanirbhar state and ensuring an overall growth,” Deb said.

 

Meanwhile, in an oblique reference, the Chief Minister also criticized the communist rule for attempting to suppress the real history of Tripura

 

On his official Facebook handle, Deb wrote that an effort was seen earlier to distort the real history of Tripura and contributions of the Maharajas following a different mentality which is not connected to the culture of Tripura or India.

 

‘Shreshta Tripura’ could have been built much before if the path of Maharaja was followed, he said, adding that his government had already declared a holiday on the birthday of Maharaja Bir Bikram as a token of respect as well as renamed the Agartala airport after Maharaja Bir Bikram.

 

In the meantime, Pradyut Kishore Manikya, chief of Tipra Motha, an indigenous-based regional party, and grandson of Bir Bikram Kishore Manikya Bahadur, unveiled a statue of the Maharaja in Tripura Tribal Areas District Council (TTAADC) headquarters- Khumulwng at his own.

 

On this day, the Tipra Motha chief raised a demand to introduce a scholarship programme after Maharaja Bir Bikram.

 

“Unveiled the statue of Maharaja Bir Bikram on his birthday at khumulwng . Our history, Our Identity is our Pride .The TTAADC has not spent any money on the cost of the statue as this has been borne by me . Rather i would request a scholarship for students be started in his name,” he wrote on official Facebook page.

 

In the state-level programme, Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma and Pradyut Kishore Manikya among other dignitaries were present.