Fact Check: Amit Shah’s Claims in Tripura are Wrong

BJP President Amit Shah launched his party’s election campaign in Tripura by issuing a series of lies and half truths about the Left Front govt. Before looking at them in detail, what is striking is the hubris of Shah in thinking that lies can sway people and win elections. Perhaps he thinks that deception works with people in a remote state, far removed from the scrutiny of national media. But little does he realise that people of Tripura are far wiser and conscious having lived through such arrogant rulers and deceivers in the earlier days, before choosing the formidable Left Front. Shah and Modi will need to rethink their electoral strategy by the time these elections (slated for March this year) are through.

But that’s in the future. Let us look at the first edition of lies by Shah.

• “Tripura’s share in central taxes have been increased from Rs. 7,283 crore (13th Finance commission) to Rs. 25,000 crore (14th Finance commission) under Modi govt.”

This has nothing to do with the Modi govt.! The 14th Finance Commission was set up in 2013 and gave its report in 2015. It increased the share of taxes to be given to all states, not just Tripura, from about 32% to 42% of the shareable Central taxes. Amit Shah is trying to claim credit for nothing.

• “While Prime Minister Narendra Modi has enhanced the minimum wage for daily labourers to Rs 340 per day across the country, the Communist government here is still giving them only Rs 170 per day.”

Another blatant falsehood! The central govt. increased the daily wage rates of its own employees (see Gazette notification here) in January 2017 to Rs.333 (for big cities), Rs.303 (for towns) and Rs.300 (for other places). This has nothing to do with other employees or workers. In fact, in June 2017, Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya issued a D.O. declaring that the National Floor Level Minimum Wage should be Rs.176 per day (see DO No. 11012/1/2015-WC here).

Crores of workers have been agitating for the last three years demanding a minimum wage of Rs.18,000 per month but the Modi govt. has been refusing to discuss the matter. This is despite the fact that the demand is based on accepted norms as laid down by the 15th Indian Labour Conference and supported by the Supreme Court in 1992.

• “The Tripura govt is neck-deep in corruption.”

This is a wild allegation with not one instance or proof given by Shah. While he and other BJP leaders have been trying to malign Chief Minister Manik Sarkar and his govt. In various speeches, nobody has any proof or even a prima facie description of corruption. The BJP state govts. across the country have been sunk in corruption, the list is endless. Some of the well known scams under present BJP state govts.: Madhya Pradesh (Vyapam); Gujarat (Adani coal scam, Adani land scam, GSPC scam, GUVN scam, Tata Nano land, Rice scam, etc.); Bihar (srijan scam); Chhattisgarh (PDS scam); Rajasthan (Mining scam and SPML scam); Maharashtra (Chikki and Khadse land scam); Uttarakhand (NHAI land scam); and dozens of others.

Besides this, the Modi govt. Has refused to appoint the Lokpal, an empowered ombudsman to monitor corruption at the highest levels.

• There is widespread unemployment in Tripura.

Tripura has seen one of the better growth rates in employment than most other states despite being handicapped by limited natural resources, remote location, and difficult terrain. After vanquishing the separatist insurgency in the state, the Left Front govt. rule saw a 12% increase number of workers compared to an average all India increase of just 2% between 2001 and 2011 as per Census data. The number of workers in industry increased by 90% between 2004-05 and 2014-15, compared to an all India average increase of 60%. In fact Tripura had a higher rate of growth than much richer states like Gujarat and Haryana, and it was ahead of all its neighbours in the North East. Even in implementation of the rural job guarantee scheme (MGNREGS) Tripura has consistently led all states with average number of days work provided at 80 in Tripura compared to 46 at the India level average.

• “The health facilities here are inadequate.”

This is another wild lie, without any backing. In Tripura, all health indicators show that the state has expanded its healthcare system hugely and ensured delivery of essential services. Infant mortality rate (IMR) has declined steeply by nearly 50% in the past decade and stands at 20 per thousand live births. This is on par with many advanced states like Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Punjab, and way better than others like Gujarat (33), Haryana (36) and less than half of Madhya Pradesh (50) and Assam (47). Maternal mortality rate (MMR) for Tripura (as derived from HMIS, GOI) is 62 per lakh live births, compared to the all India average of 174. There has been a massive expansion of health infrastructure in the state, especially in the remote tribal areas. After taking a decision to have one Health Sub-Centre (HSC) for every village, their number has increased by 92% since 2005, the highest increase among all states. These HSCs provide primary healthcare services, free testing, transport, child and mother care and various other services. The number of primary health centres (PHCs) and community health centres (CHCs) has also increased similarly. At the tertiary level, there are 12 sub-divisional hospitals (with 6 more under construction), 6 District Hospitals and another 6 State hospitals.

• “The Communists have unleashed poverty and unemployment.”

Unemployment we have seen above, but poverty? Amit Shah is living in a parallel universe! According to Planning Commission figures, Tripura saw one of the biggest declines in poverty rates of 62% between 2004-05 and 2011-12 (the last year for which data is available). The national average decline for the same period was 34%. The share of population living below poverty line is 14% in Tripura compared to nearly 17% Gujarat, considered by Shah and Modi as a model of development. These figures are, of course, pegged very low for all states because of the ridiculously low level of poverty line as defined by the govt. But the same definition applies to all, so the comparison shows the relative status.

It is clear from the above that Amit Shah – and hence the BJP – are going to rely on just such falsehoods to run their election campaign in Tripura. This strategy is backed by two other notable components: money and alliance with tribal separatists. Already Tripura is seeing a flood of flags, banners, election vans, SUVs with crores being pumped in by the BJP. It is a desperate attempt to dazzle the Tripuri citizens and perhaps to bribe them into voting for BJP. In the coming days, as in Gujarat, PM Modi will surely put in an appearance or two and announce some projects. The other component is a dangerous game BJP is playing of trying to win over tribal votes by espousing the cause of separatists. It is aligning with the well known separatist organisation IPFT.