BJP-led govt intimidated opposition: Ex-Tripura CM Manik Sarkar

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Tuesday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government in Tripura has unleashed a reign of terror and intimidated the opposition.

Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar told a press conference that the ruling party has also attacked media houses that report the truth. It is as though the Constitution of India, the democratic rights guaranteed to the people by the constitution and the norms of functioning in a parliamentary democracy have all been suspended in Tripura under the BJP government, Sarkar alleged.

It is deplorable that the Chief Minister himself has made provocative statements, threats, and outright lies justifying the attacks against the CPI(M). From 2018 when the BJP assumed power, to the present, 21 supporters and members of the CPI(M) including woman have been killed, he said.

In attacks on September 7 and 8, by BJP mobs, shouting Jai Shri Ram and armed with Iron rods and petrol bombs, the police were either bystanders or refused to respond to calls regarding the attacks on homes and party offices. Some BJP leaders and Ministers have also made provocative statements encouraging the attacks.

On September 7 and 8, as many as 44 party offices (42 of the CPI (M), 1 RSP and 1 CPI (ML) have been attacked, burnt, and party property destroyed. In an display of criminality, the state office of the CPI(M) in Agartala was attacked, and mobs entered the premises and vandalised the bust of veteran tribal leader and former Chief Minister Dasrath Deb.

The CRPF guards deployed at the office were mysteriously withdrawn an hour before the mob attack. 67 houses and shops of CPI(M) supporters have been burnt or looted, the former CM said.

Scores of supporters have been physically attacked of whom at least 10 required immediate hospitalization. Patronage is provided to the attackers while the police are filing false cases and making arrests of CPI (M) supporters, he alleged.

Leader of the opposition and four-time Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar was prevented by the police from visiting his own constituency on September 6.

The modus operandi to prevent the leader of the opposition (LOP) from fulfilling his constitutional duty is to gather a few persons from the ruling party to oppose his programme and provide a pretext to stop it.

On September 6 while Manik Sarkar was going to attend mass deputation to the BDO of Kathalia Block largely falling under his constituency, the police refused and put up barricades to stop him. He called their bluff and Insisted on his right to visit.

( With inputs from ANI )