PM inaugurates Tripureshwari temple; BJP allies disappointed over no invitation

Agartala, Sep 22: Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on Monday, inaugurated the redeveloped Tripureswari temple in Tripura's Gomati district and offered prayers at the shrine.

Governor N Indrasena Reddy, Chief Minister Manik Saha and senior government officials were present at the programme.

Amid sweltering heat, thousands of people gathered outside the temple to catch a glimpse of the Modi.

"On the first day of Navratri and when the divine Durga Puja season is underway, had the opportunity to pray at the Mata Tripura Sundari Temple in Udaipur, Tripura. Prayed for the well-being and prosperity of my fellow Indians," the Prime Minister wrote in a micro-blogging website.

The over 500-year-old temple, one of the 51 'Shakti Peethas', has been redeveloped under the Centre's PRASAD (Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive) scheme at Rs 52 crore.

Built in 1501 by 'Maharaja' Dhanya Manikya , the inauguration of the redeveloped Tripureswari temple by the PM was also attended by Rajib Bhattacharjee, Member of Parliament (MP) and state BJP president.

Meanwhile, the Tipra Motha Party, a constituent of the BJP-led coalition government in Tripura, on Monday expressed disappointment for not receiving an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme in the state.

"We are upset for not receiving an invitation to the prime minister's event. Our party supremo and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, and party MLAs have been deprived of witnessing the historic event. Rajmata Bibhu Kumari Devi was also not invited to the programme, even though the temple was built by Maharaja Dhanya Manikya in 1501," TMP's senior MLA Ranjit Debbarma said.

The development came a day after four people, including BJP's Janati Morcha vice president Mangal Debbarma, were attacked by TMP supporters in West Tripura.

Before the "signing of the 'Tripura Merger Agreement' between the Indian Union and Queen Kanchan Prava Devi in September 1949, Maa Tripura Sundari's temple was owned by the Manikya rulers, the TMP legislator claimed.

Another constituent of the BJP-led coalition in the state, the Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT), was also not invited to the programme.

IPFT general secretary Swapan Debbarma said, "We were not invited to the programme. Don't know if our lone minister, Sukla Charan Noatia, joined the event or not," he said.

PTI