CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and the leader of opposition in the Tripura assembly Manik Sarkar heavily criticised the government’s indifferent attitude towards the rising number of incidents of hateful attacks by BJP goons on the lives and properties of common people. The ruling party goons have been strangulating democratic and political rights of opposition parties and mounting assault on the human rights of people, Sarkar told a press conference in Agartala on June 27.

RISING CASES OF MOB LYNCHING,
CUSTODIAL DEATHS
Expressing grave concern over the fast-deteriorating law and order situation in the state, Sarkar cited nine cases of mob lynching under the BJP-IPFT regime since March, 2018, in which 10 people were killed. In nine other cases, police rescued two people. In addition, there were five custodial deaths during this period. In all these incidents, the government adopted immoral leniency and as a result, no case on any of the incidents was initiated nor any culprit got arrested so far. This indicates the people’s utter distrust over the law-enforcing machinery. No rational-thinking person supports such barbarism which will disastrously affect the social bonding in future, Sarkar apprehended and demanded proper investigation of all the cases and action against the perpetrators according to law.

ASSURANCES BY CM,
GOVERNOR PROVED HOAX
During the last assembly session in March, while replying to a reference on the attack on deputy leader of opposition Badal Chowdhury in his constituency on March 3, the chief minister declared that all people’s representatives have the right to freely move everywhere in the state including their constituency. And every political party has the right to carry on their programme without being prevented by anybody. He also assured the house that his government would ensure these rights from then on.

Similarly, following cowardly attacks on Sarkar and other Party leaders in Santirbazar on May 10, the governor while receiving deputation from a CPI(M) delegation categorically stated that from next day there would be no political violence in the state. The people and particularly the opposition parties had trust on the assurances of these highest authorities of the state administration and hoped that they would do something positive to tame the irate supporters of the ruling parties. 

But in reality, it has been noticed that, the ruling parties are getting exposed for their falsehood, their failure to provide minimum relief at the critical period of the pandemic coupled with all-time high price hike. And when the people are trying to voice their protest, the ruling BJP has been resorting to suppress the voice of protest by brute power. In the two months since the chief minister’s assurance in the assembly, Sarkar said, 152 houses/shops of opposition party supporters were torched, raided, ransacked, and looted. There were attacks on 17 CPI(M) party offices, which were either extensively vandalised, or burnt down. Individual attacks were carried out on more than 200 Party leaders, workers and supporters, many of whom had to be treated in hospitals. Here also, the police hardly made any attempt to take action against the culprits, only because they carry the label of BJP supporters. Instead of directing the police to act according to law, they are being used as puppet of the ruling BJP to initiate false cases against the victims, Sarkar said.

Referring to the ongoing partial lockdown in the state, Sarkar said daily wage-earners of the state are passing days in extreme hardship. We repeatedly raised the demand to the government to provide logistic support and relief for their survival.  But the government did not pay heed to our demand. Naturally, various social organisations and political parties have come forward with their limited resources to stand by their side. Here also, the Left volunteers had to shed blood to discharge their social responsibility of conducting relief operations. Even blood donation camps organised by the Left youth are being attacked and several such programme had to be cancelled at a moment when the state’s premier GB Pant Hospital is running under extreme crisis of blood. Such autocratic suppressive rule would not sustain and one day the people will come out on streets in upsurge. Protest movement has started and it will intensify in the future, Sarkar said.

Replying to a media person’s query on the lodging of FIR against three Party leaders for their Facebook posts, Sarkar said the leaders nowhere had made any provocation to attack. They only advised the Party supporters that where the repression has crossed the limit of all bearings, there is no other alternative but to protect themselves. Right to self-protection is a fundamental right, he said.

Recently, the government recommended names of Lokayukta and State Human Rights Commissioner. These posts were vacant for the last three years. The selection committee comprises the chief minister, speaker of assembly and the leader of the opposition. The government recommended a retired police officer for the post of Human Rights Commissioner and an advocate aged around 80 for Lokayukta. Neither of the selections was unanimous. The leader of the opposition in his dissenting note stated that as most of the allegations of human rights violations are made against the police, it is indecent to appoint a retired police officer in this office. Rather, any eminent human rights activists may be chosen for the post. For Lokayukta, the leader of the opposition objected the selection saying that it would go against the convention and be repugnant to the Lokpal and Lokayuka Act 2013 passed by parliament where it categorically barred anybody for this office beyond 70 years of age. However, the selection committee passed the name by majority citing the State Lokayukta Act-2008 where there is no age bar.

INTENSIFYING MOVEMENT
In response to the call of five Left parties for a fortnight-long movement on a four-point charter, including price hike, free universal Covid vaccination and relief, etc., it was decided to conduct the movement for a week (June 22-28) in the state. At about 200 places throughout the state, this programme was organised by way of making human chains, holding processions, protest demonstrations, etc. adhering to physical distance and Covid-19 restrictions. In Agartala, a long human chain was formed at the main road of the town where Sarkar and several Central Committee members and state committee members participated.  In many places, the participants organised the programme defying threats from the ruling party miscreants. In some places there were confrontations resulting in bloodshed and injury of our Party workers. The latest such major attack by BJP goons was carried out at Rajnagar, Belonia, South Tripura where Party leader Sudhan Das, an MLA, and several other Party leaders received grievous injuries. This cowardly attack was carried out in the presence of police on June 27. Sudhan Das was hit on head and hurriedly shifted to G B Pant Hospital. Protest demonstrations, including gherao of police stations, were organised against these ruthless attacks in many places of the state the next day.  

On the call of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the peasantry in Tripura organised a huge march to Raj Bhavan on June 26. The march was halted by the police at a point near the old Raj Bhavan where a street rally was held. Farmer leaders explained the adverse implications of the new farm laws and electricity legislation. A memorandum addressed to the president of India through the governor was read out by Jitendra Chowdhury, former MP and leader of Ganamukti Parishad.  As the governor was pre-occupied on the day, the memorandum was submitted to the governor on June 28. Receiving the memorandum, the governor expressed regret for his failure to keep his promise to stop political violence in the state.