Tripura Congress holds sit-in fast to press demands

Agartala -  Tripura Congress leaders, led by opposition leader Ratan Lal Nath, Thursday began a fast for 30 hours to press for their 15-point demands, including a high level probe into various alleged scams and murders.

The Congress' demands also include a CBI inquiry into the alleged misappropriation of Aadhaar funds, a NIA (National Investigation Agency) probe into the Papai Saha murder case and publication of Justice (retired) K.M. Yusuf Commission's report on the assassination of former Tripura health minister Bimal Sinha on March 31, 1998.

The Tripura government, however, in a statement refuted the allegations of scam on the central funds of the ambitious 'Aadhaar' scheme, a 12-digit number being issued by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) for all Indian residents.

The Left Front government has earlier too rejected all the demands of the Congress.

"I have already submitted details to Chief Minister Manik Sarkar about misappropriation of Aadhaar funds and our decision of hunger strike," Nath told reporters in front of the Congress Bhavan, the venue of the sit-in-fast.

He alleged that embezzlement of funds relating to Aadhaar scheme would amount to Rs.8 crore and that the state government had submitted 'false utilisation' certificates to the central government to receive additional money.

The Congress also demanded an NIA probe into the death of Papai Saha, who was shot dead on July 11 last year when Congress workers and police got engaged in a pitched battle in the city.

However, the CID, which probed the incident, reportedly found Shah Alam, a local youth, guilty in the killing.

On the assassination of former health minister and senior leader of ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Bimal Sinha, Nath said : "The report of the Yusuf commission was not made public yet by the state government though he was killed by the extremists 14 years ago."

The Congress smelt a conspiracy in the murder.