Tripura Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sushanta Chowdhury on Sunday dismissed opposition allegations regarding the non-availability of semolina (suji), refined flour (maida) and sugar at ration shops during the festive season. He accused Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leaders of spreading misinformation and misleading the public.

Addressing the media, Chowdhury alleged that several CPI(M) leaders had claimed that these essential items were unavailable at ration shops across the state. He said that around 10 to 15 people holding responsible positions had made misleading statements without verifying the facts.

The minister also refuted claims that opposition leaders had contacted him over the issue and that he had failed to respond. According to Chowdhury, nobody had called him, and those who claimed to have spoken with him could not provide a satisfactory answer when questioned.

“Political parties can criticise one another, but such criticism should be based on facts. Using someone’s name to spread false information is not acceptable,” Chowdhury said.

He further criticised what he described as the opposition’s “hypocrisy”, maintaining that political criticism should not be based on fabricated claims or misleading statements.