Tripura CM accuses centre of double standard

Agartala, June 22 : Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar accused the Centre of sending substandard communication materials to the state.

Addressing a seminar 'Developmental Journalism' organised by Bharatiya Vidya Bhawan at the press club last evening, Mr Sarkar expressed his displeasure at the Centre's ''step-motherly attitude'' towards the state as well as the whole of the NE.

''The Centre has always neglected the North Eastern states. They have always provided substandard communication materials to the state and that is becoming a bottleneck in the development of the state in particular and the region as a whole,'' Mr Sarkar said.

He also requested the Centre to ''change its attitude towards Tripura'' so that the state develops at a faster rate.

Encouraging the journalist fraternity to take up developmental issues. Mr Sarkar said the media has a major role to play in this regard.

''There are many fronts on which a journalists can take up developmental issues,'' said Mr Sarkar.

G Gopal Krishnan, Director of Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, senior MLA Shyamacharan Tripura along with some senior journalists also spoke on the occasion.

UNI