The Tripura CPM hit out at the Opposition TIPRA Motha on Wednesday holding it responsible for the BJP-IPFT government’s return to power in the Assembly polls in March. “We have seen what kind of destruction happened in Tripura in the last five years. People had given their mandate against the ruling government. Unfortunately, the state could not get an alternative government because of a secret understanding and the stubbornness of a political party,” CPM state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said at the Assembly Abhiyan organised by his party’s three wings. Thousands of activists of the All India Kisan Sabha, Tripura Ganamukti Parishad and the Tripura Khet Mazdoor Union thronged streets of Agartala over demands related to jhum or shifting cultivation, irrigation, seeds, insecticides and minimum support prices. They marched peacefully but were stopped by police in front of Circuit House, less than 1 km from the Assembly. In the Assembly polls, the BJP secured 38.97 per cent votes and its ally, IPFT, got 1.26 per cent votes and they formed the government for a second term. The CPM got 24.62 per cent votes. In an oblique reference, Chaudhury also pointed the finger at the TIPRA Motha saying the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) was in a shattered condition and that a section of the indigenous people were influenced to join the movement for Greater Tipraland. “There are no teachers in schools and the schools are closed in the TTAADC areas. There are crises of food and jobs. People have become frustrated. Taking advantage of their situation, a section of people were made to raise their voice for Swadhin Tripura, Tipraland and Greater Tipraland,” he said. The CPM state chief said the BJP-IPFT government was not interested in listening to the problems of the people and farmers. “As the budget session is going on, problems of people could be raised in the Assembly. We asked to discuss these issues along with the business in the Assembly. When we started, the speaker put our mikes off,” he said. He said that 70 per cent of India’s population were dependent on agriculture before Independence. “We are in favour of the development of science and technology. But it cannot be an alternative to agriculture. The government should have allocated proper funds for agriculture in the budget. Unfortunately it is not seen in the budget,” he said.
