Mixed response to Tripura bandh against ‘murder’ of Left Front zilla parishad candidate

Badal Shil was attacked at Rajnagar in South Tripura district on Friday.

Tripura bandh, Tripura Left Front leader murder

CPM leaders including former chief minister Manik Sarkar, former Assembly deputy speaker Pabitra Kar and state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury paid tributes to Shil after his body was brought to the party headquarters.

Tripura has witnessed a mixed response to Sunday’s 12-hour bandh called by the Left Front after one of its candidates for the upcoming panchayat polls died following an attack allegedly by assailants backed by the ruling BJP.

Vehicular movement is becoming smoother as the day progresses even though CPM activists are seen on roads to enforce the bandh. According to the police, however, the bandh has had no impact on normal life. “Everything is normal. Though fewer people are seen in public places than on working days, normal life is not affected,” said a police officer.

Badal Shil, a candidate for the election to the South Tripura zilla parishad, was attacked at Rajnagar in South Tripura district on Friday. He succumbed to injuries at Agartala’s GBP Hospital on Saturday.

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“After the BJP came to power, democracy and the Constitution are being murdered every day. The BJP won the (Lok Sabha) poll (in the state) with 80 per cent votes last month. They are afraid of facing people in panchayat polls. This poll is a farce, chappa and rape of democracy. Whatever the BJP has been doing for the poll, he (Badal Shil) highlighted it in front of the entire country by giving up his life,” Chaudhury said.

Elections will be held on August 8 in 370 seats in 606 gram panchayats, 423 seats in 35 panchayat samitis and 116 seats in eight zilla parishads. Results will be announced on August 12.

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