Tripura Minister Criticizes Past CPI(M) Record on Blood Donation

Agartala: Tripura Panchayat Minister Kishor Barman recently criticized the state’s former CPI(M) administration, alleging that previous blood donation efforts were based on exploitation rather than voluntary service. His comments followed claims by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, who suggested that the number of donation camps has significantly declined since the BJP took power.

Speaking at a blood donation event in the Sepahijala district, Barman argued that historical data would clarify the reality of past donation programs. He asserted that the previous system targeted vulnerable populations for their resources. "In the past, blood was not donated, blood was stolen. The blood of poor people was stolen, the blood of office workers was stolen," the Minister stated.

Barman also described a restrictive environment in state offices under the former government, claiming that party-affiliated clerks wielded more authority than officials. He alleged that these individuals frequently demanded subscriptions from employees and threatened those who refused with transfers. He noted that even in academic settings, principals were often sidelined by clerks who acted as leaders for the ruling party organizations of that era.