WHILE Tripura is under a lockdown to combat the coronavirus, some parts of the northeastern state were devastated by gale and unprecedented hailstorm. One of the worst affected areas was Jampaijala sub-division of Sepahijala district. This sub-division is largely tribal populated and its headquarters is 50 km from the state capital, Agartala.

Before the last assembly election, the normal atmosphere of peace and democracy was disturbed by anti-Left forces active there amongst the tribals. The assembly election of that area could not be held properly because of aggressive hooliganism that was let loose by the anti-Left forces. The Tribal Reserved Assembly Constituency of Takarjala in the sub-division was occupied by IPFT, the alliance partner of the BJP. After formation of the BJP-IPFT alliance government in Tripura, this sub-division was made one of the areas of unprecedented terror by the ruling parties, particularly targeting the CPI(M). Practically the activities of the CPI(M) have been banned in this sub-division. However, during ongoing lockdown situation, declared measures of relief by the centre and the state government have failed to reach a sizeable number of very deserving poor families of the sub-division.

The CPI(M) leaders and workers of the sub-division started extending their helping hands with essential food relief materials braving all sorts of terror to a number of families who are at places suffering from half or full starvation. In this tough and complicated situation, the natural calamities like gale and hailstorm hit hard this area. This has aggravated sufferings of the people in a large part of this sub-division.

About 12 villages have been ravaged due to gale and hailstorm. A few thousand families have suffered damage of different nature. Seventeen temporary relief camps have been set up by the state government. The number of families who have been forced to take shelter in these camps is about 2,000. Most of the families may not be able go back to their houses until and unless new houses are built.

In this situation, a team of MLAs belonging to the CPI(M) visited parts of these affected areas on April 25. The team, led by former chief minister Manik Sarkar, included MLAs Badal Choudhury, Tapan Chakraborty and Ratan Bhowmik, TTAADC member Ramendra Debbarma and former minister Naresh Jamatia.

The visiting team has been able to see the destruction of innumerable dwelling houses, standing crops on the field, number of damaged rubber gardens and trees full of fruits, etc. in a big way. This was beyond imagination. People in their localities and in two large relief camps, which this team could visit, expressed their completely helpless condition and were in tears. These camps were largely populated with women, children and elderly people.

The delegation assured the people that they would meet the authorities concerned and also higher authorities of the state government to bring to their notice the plight of the people. They would submit the genuine urgent demands of the suffering people. At the same time, they would urge the government to take initiative to help the people on a war footing.

Later, on behalf of the team, a delegation met the district collector of Sepahijala and submitted a memorandum with a charter of demands and the same has been sent to the chief secretary.
In spite of the prevailing reign of terror in the state, it has been a general practice of the CPI(M) MLAs in Tripura that wherever unanticipated incidents take place, be it political violence or natural calamity, they try to reach out to the affected people extending their helping hand. But this visit of the MLAs team to this particular area carries extra importance for the Party – because this is the area from where the supremo of the junior partner of the present ruling alliance, IPFT, is elected to the state assembly. Winning from this seat with the slogan of a separate state of Twipraland, now he is a minister. With this slogan he had created a racist hysteria misleading a section of the surrendered or returnee members of the NLFT and ATTF utilising a huge amount of fund provided by the BJP. It is also to be mentioned that during 1980s and 1990s this area was a hotbed of extremist activities. Many CPI(M) leaders and cadres had been brutally killed by the extremists in this area. This area was known as blood bathed at that time.

After the assembly election, any open activity of the Party in this area has come to an almost halt because of the fascist like terror unleashed by the ruling party goons. All the Party offices are demolished. Despite these relentless attacks, Party workers are trying to continue their activities. As a result, the situation is improving in the area and this has been reflected during the visit of the MLA team. Before the visit, a section of the Party workers was anxious that the visit may be disturbed by the ruling party hooligans. But it was found that the team was welcomed by the affected people. In the relief camp, the affected people assembled surrounding the former chief minister and expressed their grievances and complaints against the inadequate and slow response of the administration to tackle the grave situation caused by this calamity.