The state government must uphold the constitutional responsibility to ensure rule of law, democracy, security of people's life and property, peace and harmony.
We urge the people and the civil society to take to the streets in protest.
The Left-Congress parliamentary delegation came under attack on the first day of its visit to areas affected by post-poll terrorism. Yesterday (10/03/2023) the delegation went to visit Nehalchandra Nagar market of 16-Vishalgarh assembly constituency where 19 shops were burned down. Just before they arrived at the location of the arsonist attack, BJP-backed goons organized an attack on the joint parliamentary delegation of the Left and Congress. Two vehicles were vandalised. As the police played a passive role, the members of the delegation were forced to quickly depart from the site and in order to defend themselves. Criminal forces also tried to attack the parliamentary delegation in Kalkalia village of 2-Mohanpur assembly constituency. What this proves is that neither the common citizen, nor even members of the parliament have any security in the state. A fiery frenzy has grasped the state in the name of victory parades after the declaration of results on 2nd March. Homes of supporters of the opposition are being looted and set on fire. Rubber plantations are being set ablaze. Livelihoods are being destroyed indiscriminately by reportedly injecting poison into water bodies. Cattle and poultry are being burnt alive in their sheds. The elderly, women, and children are victims of indiscriminate physical assaults. Books and notebooks of secondary and higher secondary students are being burnt. Party offices of the opposition are also being burned down. Over a thousand such crimes have been inflicted in over 60 assembly constituencies, yet no FIRs have been lodged. Those who are fearing for their lives are afraid of reporting to the police and the police are not taking any initiative to report on their own. An invisible hand is in control of the police as we have seen over the past five years. Yet the police played a very active role till the 2nd of March when it was under the supervision of the election commission. The rule of law is in jeopardy and has been replaced by the rule of criminals.
On 4th March, at around 1:00 a.m. a straw hut in a cattle farm owned by CPI(ML) member Comrade Muharram Ali in 31-Radhakishorpur constituency in Udaipur Paur Parishad area in the area adjacent to Town Sonamura Canal was set on fire. 38 cows in his herd were saved with the help of his neighbours. Another party member Comrade Bimal Chakraborty was expelled from his timber mill. Comrade Nurul Islam Khadim was expelled from construction work. The grocery shop of Comrade Babul Pal, Member of the State Committee in Chittamara Bazar in 31-Bilonia Assembly Constituency was forcefully shuttered on the morning of 3rd March. On the night of March 8, Comrade Babul Pal's rubber plantation was burnt down. His 250 rubber trees were turned to ashes. In 50-Pabiachra (SC) Constituency, Kanchanbari Road area 8 shops and homes including one belonging to Comrade Lakhinder Das were burnt.
The BJP-IPFT combine received 40 percent votes in the 13th Assembly elections. Compared to 2018, their votes decreased by 11%. The number of seats has also decreased by 11. They have managed to scrape by, winning only 2 seats above the halfway mark. Their state president and deputy chief minister both lost the elections. On the other hand 60% of the votes went to the opposition. BJP has only managed to retain power due to the division of opposition votes. The rise of the Tipra Motha Party is a challenge for the BJP in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The attack on the opposition is the result of the crisis and frustration facing the new state government. They cannot allow the opposition to function unhindered under such circumstances and this is the cause of the fascist attacks. The attacks on the parliamentary delegations are an outcome of the same.
The state government must put an end to the political violence immediately. The CPIML State Committee has urged the state government and the Chief Minister to fulfill their constitutional responsibilities and to ensure the safety of people and their property. Legal action should be taken against the criminals involved in every terrorist incident and they must be arrested immediately. Peace, harmony and development can be ensured by establishing the rule of law in the state.
CPIML Tripura State Committee strongly condemns the attack on the Left-Congress parliamentary delegation. We also demand that the culprits be arrested immediately.
