Tripura CPI(M) MLAs protest against ‘Jungle Raj in BJP rule’

Agartala, Jan. 20 (IANS): The opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) MLAs on Wednesday staged a protest for the first time after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came to power in Tripura in 2018. The left party staged the protest against the attacks on opposition parties, MLAs, MPs and other leaders.

The CPI(M) legislators carried placards during the protest march in the capital city Agartala before the sit-in demonstration, terming the BJP-led government’s rule as ‘Jungle Raj’.

Demanding his immediate intervention, a six-member CPI(M) delegation led by former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar met Governor Ramesh Bais and apprised him about the “total lawlessness in the state”.

The Left party leaders demanded to allow democratic and political activities by opposition parties and elected leaders without hindrance.

Sarkar said the CPI(M) leaders and MLAs, including Tripura Legislative Assembly member and former Minister Badal Chowdhury and Rajya Sabha member Jharna Das Baidya, were attacked three to 12 times while undertaking any political activity or visited their areas during the past three years.

“A large number of opposition party offices, including district level offices specially the CPI(M), are either occupied or destroyed by the ruling BJP workers and their goons. In many cases police and the concerned authorities are not giving permission to organise indoor or outdoor rallies, meetings and democratic activities,” the Left leader told the media.

Sarkar, who was Tripura’s longest serving Chief Minister for 20 years (1998-2018) until the BJP-led alliance captured power in March 2018, alleged that “jungle raj has been unleashed after the BJP came to power in the state”.

He said the BJP workers and the “goons backed by them” are not sparing even doctors, nurses, health workers, lawyers, journalists, police personnel, besides thousands of opposition party members and supporters.

The former Chief Minister and other party leaders said thousands of houses, properties, shops and business establishments belonging to opposition party members specially the CPI-M were either burnt down, damaged or looted during the past three years.

Sarkar said they told the Governor that crimes against women, including teenagers, minors and aged women, are happening every week.

“The incidents of killing and unnatural deaths have become the order of the day. Police and the law enforcement agencies remain mute spectators leading to a rise in crimes of a horrifying nature,” he said.

Former Minister and CPI(M) Central Committee member Badal Chowdhury said the BJP workers and their hooligans also attacked the condolence meetings organised after the death of any party leader, worker or any eminent personality.

The opposition Congress also observed a 12-hour shutdown on Monday to protest against the alleged attack on state Party President Pijush Biswas by “BJP goons”.