GUWAHATI: Not just those left out, the National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam has stolen the sleep of Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb as well but for a different reason.
Annoyed with a section of government officers who allegedly discuss more on the NRC on social media and work less on duty, he stays awake till late night to monitor their activities.
“There are some medical officers who understand less about the profession but exchange their views on the NRC on social media. They discuss what NRC is and what the consequences could be post-NRC. Has the government appointed them to discuss the NRC on the social media?” a livid Deb told reporters.
He said he himself had not yet made any observation on the NRC.
“The chief minister hasn’t yet said anything on the NRC. You (doctors in question) don’t know your patients. You won’t be able to say the number of patients in your ward at the GB Hospital. You don’t have an account of how many patients you have attended to today. And you are giving comments on the NRC on social media,” Deb said.
He said the situation had forced him to stay awake till 3 every night.
“Sometimes, my friends tell me about seeing me online (on social media) till 3 am. I tell them that I stay awake as I try to see which doctor, teacher or officer is doing what. When the time comes, I speak up,” Deb added.
The doctors’ associations were not available for comments but opposition Congress slammed the CM for allegedly muzzling the freedom of speech. The party said he courted a controversy every time he opened his mouth.
“The people of the country have already come to know the government of Tripura. The less he (Deb) talks, the better it is for the people,” Tripura Congress general secretary Baptu Chakraborty told this newspaper.
He alleged that it was an emergency-like situation “underground” in the state where none had the freedom of speech.
“Nobody can give his or her opinion on anything on social media. If people do so, the police will be let loose after them,” Chakraborty alleged.