Government-funded Modi birthday programmes ‘unethical’, says Tripura Opposition Leader
By Our Correspondent
Agartala, September 16, 2026
Tripura Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury has questioned the use of government funds and administrative machinery for a month-long programme being organised around Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday, calling such an arrangement “unethical”.
The Tripura government is scheduled to conduct the month-long ‘Seva Sankalp Abhiyan’ from September 17 to October 17. Chief Minister Manik Saha had announced that the campaign would focus on public service, welfare schemes and the 25 years of Mr Modi’s public life. The Information and Cultural Affairs Department has been designated as the nodal department, with Ministers and senior officials assigned responsibilities for implementing the programmes.
Mr Chaudhury, however, questioned the rationale for involving the State government and its administrative apparatus in an observance centred on the birthday of a political leader.
He said public money was generated from taxes and other revenues contributed by citizens and should not be used for promoting the image of a political personality or a political party. If a birthday celebration was intended as a political or party programme, he said, it should be organised by the political party using its own organisational resources and funds.
The Opposition leader also raised questions over the involvement of the government machinery in the month-long campaign. According to him, the use of official departments, public funds and the administrative structure for such an event could raise questions about the neutrality of the government administration.
The government has presented the campaign as a public-service initiative rather than merely a birthday celebration. The programmes include blood donation and health camps, public outreach activities and other initiatives linked to welfare and government schemes. September 17 will be observed as ‘Seva Diwas’, with more than six lakh earthen lamps planned to be lit across the State.
Mr Chaudhury's criticism comes amid preparations by both the State government and the BJP organisation for programmes beginning on September 17. The Opposition has sought to draw a distinction between government welfare activities and political programmes centred on an individual political leader.
He maintained that government expenditure should be directed towards public needs and services and not towards creating an official platform for celebrating a political personality.
The issue is likely to add another point of contention between the ruling BJP-led government and the Opposition in Tripura, with the latter questioning whether the use of public resources for the campaign is consistent with administrative neutrality.
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