Tripura: CPI(M) warns BJP of protests over alleged political assaults

“Attacks are on keeping the deputation submission in mind. These events are not political in nature. We aren’t speaking against any party or any functionary in particular. We are asking the government to intervene on real problems at the local level like roads, livelihood, healthcare, MGNREGA work etc. Attacks were held at Dharmanagar, Khayerpur and Bishalgarh in the recent days. Senior BJP leaders, including Deputy Speaker Biswabandu Sen, were involved in a few cases. This is undesired. A section of the police is complicit with the attackers, due to which proper steps are not being taken,” Chaudhury said.

The communist party leader also criticised BJP national president J P Nadda, who recently visited Tripura, and said, “Nadda had squarely lied to the people by claiming that political violence has ended in the state under the saffron party’s watch.”

Chaudhury alleged political attacks and violence have increased manifold and the same were corroborated in the latest NCRB report, which said cases of political violence in Tripura topped all northeast states, proportionate to respective states’ population.

Issuing a warning against such alleged attacks, he said, “It cannot go on like this. People of the state have got their backs to the wall by getting attacked again and again.  Some black sheep are still there among the lower rung officers of the state police. If these attacks don’t stop, we shall be forced to take things up on our own to ensure our rights.”

Chaudhury, who had earlier said that the law and order in Tripura is in shambles under the BJP rule, also hogged the limelight earlier this year after he said a Sri Lanka-like situation might happen in Tripura unless the administration takes corrective measures to ensure democratic rights of the people.

In sync with his previous comments, Chaudhury on Tuesday said, “The police are super active in hunting CPI(M) activists on false cases while the real attackers are moving around freely. We condemn these incidents. If these don’t stop, we shall protest through democratic means. But if the people decide to act in self defence, the situation can become different. We want to humbly request the government to ensure a rule governed by law.”

Reacting to his comments, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya said, “It’s not uncommon for CPI(M) to issue threats. We aren’t bothered. But if anyone thinks they can take law into their own hands, I’m sure the law enforcers will take necessary steps to maintain order.”

He also rubbished allegations of political violence against BJP and said, “BJP is always active to stop political violence and reverse criminalisation of politics done in the Left rule.”