AS a part of the nationwide protest against the disrespectful and derogatory remarks on Dr B R Ambedkar by the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, meetings and rallies were organised by the Left parties in Tripura on December 30, 2024. The programme was organised jointly by the CPI(M), CPI, AIFB, RSP and CPI(ML). Besides the capital city of Agartala, rallies were organised at places like Udaipur, Belonia, Khowai, Kamalpur, Amarpur, Santir Bazar, Ambassa, Sabroom, Longtarai Valley and Gandachhera. Everywhere the protest rallies and meetings were attended by people in large number carrying red flags, who voiced their anger and protest against the remarks of Shah. They demanded resignation of Shah from the post of union minister and also unequivocal apology from him. It was demanded to remove him from the ministerial post, if he does not resign on his own. People expressed their disapproval of the government whose anti-constitutional, anti-people and anti-national characteristics are now clear.

The protest rally at Agartala was organised for the West Tripura district, containing four sub-divisions. The well-attended rally was started from the district office of CPI(M) in which members and supporters of the Left parties joined with their respective flags. Leaders present in the rally included Narayan Kar and Rama Das, both Central Committee members of CPI(M), Manik Dey, state secretariat member, Sankar Prasad Datta, Ratan Das, Narayan Deb, Krishna Rakshit, Swapna Dutta and Pranab Debbarma, all state committee members, and various others of CPI(M). Also there were Milan Baidya from CPI, Paresh Sarkar and Raghunath Sarkar from AIFB, Dipak Deb, state secretary of RSP and Partha Karmakar, state secretary of CPI (ML).

The rally at Agartala proceeded through the city roads and culminated in a meeting organiSed at Shakuntala road. People from all parts of society including students, youth, women, workers, farmers etc gathered in the rally to express their anger. The meeting was presided over by Narayan Kar, convenor of the state Left Front committee.

Narayan Kar mentioned in his speech that the RSS has been opposing the Constitution since the time it was prepared. They wanted the Constitution of India to be prepared in the lines of Manusmriti. Today their aim is to destroy the Constitution, for which they are targeting each and every provision made in it. They are also not sparing the main architect of the Indian Constitution, Dr B R Ambedkar. Amit Shah’s attack on Dr Ambedkar is a manifestation of their inherent dislike of the Constitution. The government led by the BJP is trying to destroy the basic principles of the Constitution like federalism, secularism, democracy, citizen’s rights etc.

Other leaders like Milan Baidya of CPI, Dipak Deb of RSP, Paresh Sarkar of AIFB and Partha Karmakar of CPI (ML) also addressed the gathering.

The protest programme for Gomati district was organised at Udaipur jointly by the Left parties, where the key address was delivered by Ratan Bhowmik, state secretariat member of CPI(M). Such rallies were organised throughout the state.