Opposition walks out of Tripura Assembly over denial to form JLEC to examine permission given to controversial medical college setup

The private medical institution is reportedly utilizing the infrastructure of the state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital, one of Tripura’s key referral hospitals.

The Tripura Legislative Assembly witnessed heated exchanges and a walk-out by opposition members on Friday the last day of the ongoing three days monsoon session, following the refusal to allow forming a Joint Legislative Committee to probe the establishment of the Tripura Santiniketan Medical College.

The private medical institution is reportedly utilizing the infrastructure of the state-run Indira Gandhi Memorial (IGM) Hospital, one of Tripura’s key referral hospitals.

Former Health Minister and Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman, through a calling attention notice, demanded a statement from the government regarding its decision to allow the use of IGM Hospital as a teaching facility for the Tripura Santiniketan Medical College, which is operated by the Sadhin Trust.

Barman expressed concerns about the source of funding for the project and questioned the credibility of the trust’s head, Maloy Pit, alleging his involvement in financial irregularities and links with Trinamool Congress leader Anubrata Mondal, who was jailed and is currently under investigation in connection to a cattle smuggling case.

Barman, supported by Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, raised concerns about the future of medical students enrolled in the college, questioning whether any contingency plans or guarantees had been made in case discrepancies were found in the project.

Chaudhury also pressed the government to explain how the private organization received swift clearance from both the state and central governments, when the BJP led Opposition Leader in West Bengal had asked the central government to deny permission to that trust to run its medical college at Bholpur.

The opposition leaders demanded the formation of a Joint Legislative Assembly Committee to investigate the financial dealings and legitimacy of the Sadhin Trust, as well as the process by which it secured approval to establish a medical college.

In response, Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha, who also holds the Health portfolio, defended the government’s decision.

Saha explained that the central government has allowed the establishment of private medical colleges to address the shortage of medical education infrastructure in various states, and it was permissible to use existing government hospitals for this purpose.

Addressing the concerns about Maloy Pit, Saha noted that merely having a pending case does not imply guilt and asserted that it is not feasible for the government to verify every investor’s financial background.

He also acknowledged past instances of private medical institutions failing in Tripura but assured that steps had been taken to mitigate such risks and if required in this case also it will be done.

However, Saha rejected the opposition’s demand for a Joint Legislative Assembly Committee, stating that no errors were made in granting permission to the Sadhin Trust.

This dismissal triggered a protest from opposition MLAs, leading to their walk-out from the assembly.

The opposition bloc, including 10 CPI(M) and 3 Congress members, exited the House in protest against the government’s refusal to initiate a probe.

The issue has sparked significant controversy in the state, with opposition leaders accusing the government of prioritizing private interests over public healthcare and future of medical students.

The debate is expected to continue as the opposition intensifies its demand for greater transparency in the project.

Later, Opposition Leader Jitendra Chaudhary also spoke to reporters on the issue during a press conference.

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