An assistant professor of Pharmacology in Agartala Govt Medical College (AGMC) was put under suspension on 21st October for making a comment regarding NRC and Citizenship amendment bill (CAB) on Facebook, which sparked off serious reaction among the government employees.

Sources said, Dr Kaushik Chakraborty's Facebook comments on NRC were believed to have hurt the sentiments of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, who also holds the health portfolio. Dr Chakraborty was one of the leading people in the medical fraternity in the state who had opposed the alleged misrule of the Left front in Tripura and he had reportedly played an important role before the last year’s assembly election in favour of BJP. In August last year, a controversy had cropped up over the chief minister's birth place following a statement of his mother.

A total of 37 edits were made on the Wikipedia page in three days last year, which saw his place of birth alternate between Tripura’s Gomati district and Chandpur in Bangladesh. Referring his deep roots in neighbouring Bangladesh, some Facebook users launched a scathing attack on Deb, saying, “Tripura CM Biplab Kumar Deb was born on November 25, 1971 in Kachua Upazilla, Chandpur of Bangladesh and that’s why he is opposing NRC in Tripura.” Dr Chakraborty made several comments in support, when royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarman launched protest against CAB.

“I’m a proud Indian citizen from Tripura and oppose Citizenship amendment bill as it would alter vulnerable demography in NE India & create unwanted tension between many communities. On this issue I am with Pradyot Manikya to protect interest of legal citizens over illegal migrants,” he went on to tweet. Dr Chakraborty earned the displeasure of the Chief Minister following his comment. After Deb took charge of the health department, officials of the health department started digging into Dr Chakraborty's social media records.

In a press conference, the chief minister, without naming anybody, commented, “I regularly observe who does what in social media. Doctor is appointed for treating the patients not to write on NRC or CAB in Facebook.” A few days later, on August 2 last, Dr Chakraborty was show caused by the under secretary of the government. The notice accused him for obliquely criticizing the chief minister by posting derogatory remarks in social media, which is unbecoming of a public servant. The notice also stated he had posted objectionable remarks in social media against CAB, which will create a rift among communities in the state.

Dr Chakraborty denied the charges in his reply on August 19. Again on August 31 last, Director Medical Education served another ten days returnable notice along with snapshots of the posts, on the same charges. Replying to the notice on September 11 last, he explained the referred posts were made on his personal capacity and not as public servant and added that being a citizen of India he had the freedom to express his views on any issue. Finally, under secretary to the government Anima Debbarma put him under suspension stating that his replies were not satisfactory and reflected arrogance, as a result of which a disciplinary proceeding was being contemplated against Dr Chakraborty. He was directed not to leave the Agartala without obtaining permission of the competent authority.