AGARTALA, June 10 - It is too early to pass any remark on the performance of the BJP-IPFT Government because time is required to settle down in a new position, according to Opposition leader Manik Sarkar.
�We have to wait for a while�. But people are eagerly waiting for promises given in the vision document to be fulfilled�, Sarkar, who ruled Tripura for 20 years, said in an interview with a Cable TV channel recently.
But what is happening � bulldozing of political party offices, driving out of opposition political activists and death of two persons in post poll violence � is not expected, he pointed out.
The new government has the potential to work for the betterment of the State as the same party is in power in both Delhi and Agartala, the four-time Chief Minister said.
Sarkar said people want the new government to undertake the programmes promised in the vision document, which was unveiled by Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley. �But people are not seeing any good from the new government yet. They must deliver as per the promises because the voters had voted them with a hope of better days�, he said.
On the issue of 10,323 teachers job, the former Chief Minister said his government had approached Centre on several occasions to give one-time relaxation to save the services of the teaching staff. �But Centre did not pay heed to us saying how could a government interfere in a matter which has already gone to Supreme Court�, he claimed.
Sarkar justified his government�s employment policy even after High Court of Tripura rejected it. �Only talent can�t be yardstick to get a government job. If it is implemented, then many employable youths belonging to downtrodden families will be deprived of getting government jobs. This is not desirable�, he said while referring to the new appointment policy of the new government.
Sarkar believes a section of people, who have traditionally voted for Left Front have got confused when Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Finance Minister and other Union Ministers repeatedly promised that the State would flourish if BJP-IPFT combine is voted to power. �This kind of confusion is quite natural when Prime Minister or Union Ministers promise of good things before the people�, he opined.
On the unemployment problem, the former Chief Minister reiterated that government jobs should not be only solution to the problem. �We had tried our level best to address the problem but as all of you know it has become a national issue.
In the hour-long interview, the former Chief Minister further said there was a time when Tripura had generated 94 mandays under national flagship programme-MGNREGA. �In the election manifesto (vision document), they promised to increase REGA wages from Rs 188 to Rs 344. But the reality is very painful��. Rural people are in distress due to lack of jobs under MGNREGA�, he alleged.
What about android mobile phone? asked the former Chief Minister while making fun at BJP�s promise to provide mobile phone to each youth if the party is voted to power.
