Agartala (Tripura) [India], April 21 (ANI): Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Sunday that the present government is sincere in preserving the culture, tradition, and heritage of people from all sections and along with this, the government is committed to promoting traditional culture that is gradually being lost.

The Chief Minister made these remarks while inaugurating the Nobo Borsho Utsab of Sanskriti Haat of Bangla Sanskriti Boloy at Sanskriti Haat, Paschim Noabadi, Old Agartala.

At the event, the Chief Minister said that the Jhumur dance performance held was very charming.

'I came to the inauguration of this haat on December 10, 2023. Seventy-two Sundays have passed in the blink of an eye. It is not easy to carry out such non-stop activities. For this, I thank the organisers. We want to build a better Tripura. Unity in diversity has been proven here,' he said.

CM Saha said that the Tripura government has taken various efforts to preserve culture and tradition.

'One can find oneself in culture. This government is sincere in preserving the culture, tradition, and heritage of people from all sections -- be it the nation, tribe, or community. We have to survive through creation. We are forgetting many things due to the influence of TV and mobile phones. We are all one and united. This program has been organised here on the first Sunday after Poila Boishakh. Earlier, I heard that artists from Bangladesh and West Bengal also participated here. Now, culture-loving people gather here every Sunday. So, we will try to promote this program at the national level,' he said.

The Chief Minister added, 'I will send video footage of this program. Maybe the Prime Minister, who is famous for the Mann Ki Baat program, can also talk about this.'

In the discussion, CM Saha also said that such programs are exemplary and worth replicating across the country.

'The organizers mentioned that they are trying to start such programs in different parts of the state. I asked the entrepreneurs to focus on rural sports. And they have kept that promise. The 19 tribal groups of our state have their own cultures and traditions. We want fair competition among all kinds of cultural practices. The Information and Cultural Affairs Department is working toward this. Our state government is putting emphasis on further expanding the disappearing cultural forms like Jatrapala, puppet dance, drama, kirtan, etc. The state has now established a Film and Television Institute, where children from tribal sections are getting opportunities,' he added.

The event was attended by the acting Sabhadhipati of Paschim Tripura Zilla Parishad, Bishwajit Shil, president of Agartala Bangla Sanskriti Boloy Nirmal Kumar Deb, editor of Ajker Fariyad Patrika, Shanit Debray, president of Bangla Sanskriti Boloy, Sebak Bhattacharya, secretary of Agartala Press Club, Ramakanta Dey, and other prominent intellectuals and cultural personalities. (ANI)