DESPITE widespread fascist like terror across the state, the Left Front organised an impressive mass meeting in Agartala on April 6 in support of its two candidates.  No vehicle owner dared to lease their buses to carry people to Agartala as BJP threatened them with dire consequences. But braving all terrors people came in thousands.  

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury said in the  meeting, it’s the call of the hour to re-elect Sankar Prasad Datta from Tripura West constituency. Not because he will speak for the CPI(M) but because, he will voice the demands of  the people in the parliament. Yechury said, this election is particularly important because in this election it will be decided whether the secular, democratic republic of India will continue to exist. 

Detailing on the economic exploitation of the masses he said, while farmers are committing suicides, unemployment is at its highest in the last 45 years, 1 per cent of the population owns 73 per cent of the wealth of the country. The Modi government didn’t fulfill its promise of loan waiver for peasants but waived loans worth Rs 3 lakh crores of the corporates. Such is the performance of the chowkidar that cronies have fled away with Rs 15 lakh crores of rupees from the bank. Every constitutional body including the CEC is under pressure, the parliament has met for the shortest duration during Modi era. It is evading the parliament to avoid accountability. Since it has no answers it is trying to  polarise the people and  brand all voices of dissent as anti-rational. Reiterating that India needs neeti (policy) rather than  neta (leader), Yechury mocked Modi saying that  the chowkidar has been given a  handsome tip of five years of power for dreaming  and telling people  fascinating utopian stories. Now the maalik, the people of India will sack him. 

CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Manik Sarkar said, people of Tripura have been  fooled by the BJP in the last assembly elections. They have now seen through their falsehood and are waiting for an opportunity to give a befitting reply. All over India, the people's mood is clear. BJP and its allies are not going to get majority. An alternative, secular government will be formed. The people of Tripura too are ready. They must muster courage to go to the polling stations and cast votes to defeat BJP and elect the Left candidates to ensure that the alternative secular government which takes pro-people measures, is formed. 

TERROR TACTICS CONTINUE

Sensing that if people can go out to vote, it will benefit the Left, the BJP and the IPFT coalition continues their terror tactics. On April 6-7 too, public meetings of Jitendra Choudhury were attacked with clear aims of dire objectives.  On 7th itself, a public meeting at Tuichakma,  Gandachharra East Tripura ST reserved seat,  CPI(M) Gandachharra subdivision committee secretary Santosh Chakma  and executive  member of TTAADC,  Parikshit Murrasingh sustained grave injury as the BJP attacked the meeting in front of  police. In Melaghor of West Tripura, houses of the people who attended a meeting of Sankar Prasad Datta were attacked in the night of April 7th.

At a press conference on April 8, CPI(M) state secretary Gautam Das said, despite our repeated demands, the  Election Commission has failed to  provide minimum security and conducive environment for the opposition especially the  CPI(M) to campaign freely in the election.  BJP has known for sure that if the elections are held peacefully, if people can go out to vote without any fear, their defeat and victory of the Left Front are foregone conclusions. That is why they are unleashing fascist like terror while the police at most of the places are mute spectators. He urged the people to come out and vote bravely for the Left.