Agartala: Even as Charilam, an area of the Sepahijhala district, limps to normalcy after yesterday’s political violence which left one CPIM member dead, political parties wasted no time in blaming each other for the violent fiasco.
According to police reports, over 30 people were injured people from both parties, while Sahid Mia (75), a lifetime CPIM worker, succumbed to his injuries.
Speaking to EastMojo, CPIM West Tripura district secretary Ratan Das said the mortal remains of Mia were supposed to be handed over to the family members and the party workers so that they can pay the final tributes. But the police forcefully took over the custody of the mortal remains, beating up the family members and party workers who reached GB pant hospital to receive the body.
“They are playing every foul tactic to hide their crime. The mortal remains of Sahid Mia have been hijacked by the police. We condemn such inhumane behaviour of the police,” said Das.
A delegation of Left affiliate lawyers’ body, led by Kar also met IG Law and Order regarding the matter. CPIM State Secretary Jitendra Chowdhury also termed the incident as a “bare act” of political vengeance.
While the CPIM attacked the BJP and called state-wide protests rallies condemning the incident, the Congress party also supported the CPIM and said that these attacks were against the political freedom that a political outfit should enjoy in a democratic country. However, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has claimed that the BJP workers were at the receiving end of violent attacks and they retaliated in the aftermath.
Tripura Information and Cultural Affairs Minister Sushanta Chowdhury alleged that the CPIM workers launched the sudden attack on the peaceful workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party. “Our people were gathering at the block areas when the CPIM workers launched a sudden attack on us. Anticipating a big defeat in the next elections the CPIM’s tendency to indulge in heinous crimes is getting increasingly visible. They don’t believe in democratic set up which they have proved time and again,” said Chowdhury after visiting the injured party workers at GBP hospital Agartala.
The Minister also claimed that the incident would act as an eye-opener for the peace-loving people of the state. He also condoled the death of the CPIM worker and said that any death is unacceptable.
Deputy Chief Minister Jishnu Dev Varma, who is elected to the state assembly from the violence-torn Charilam, accused the opposition party of trying to break the peace of his constituency. “Goons from the Bishalgarh area assembled in Charilam to disrupt the peace of the area. In such cases clashes are inevitable as our workers will try to maintain the peace of the area by preventing those anti-social elements,” he said. Dev Varma held injured CPIM MLA Bhanu Lal Saha responsible for the violence.
Leader of the opposition Manik Sarkar said, “The CPIM party has secured police permission beforehand to hold the mass deputation at the block office. A street corner was also going to be organized there. In the morning, our party leaders were informed that the BJP also has a political event which will also take place in the Charilam rural development block. When our leaders spoke to police regarding the issue, the cops assured us that we can carry forward with our party event but the time will be adjusted a little bit.”
But, he said, even after the scheduled time passed, the BJP workers were not leaving the block office. “The workers of our party could sense that if they also approach the block office it may lead to unprecedented consequences which is why they cancelled the block office deputation and tried to hold a small street corner in front of the Charilam Party office. That meeting came under attack,” said Sarkar.
Also read | Tripura: BJP-CPIM clashes leave one dead, several injured at Charilam