Agartala: The seven-member MP team representing multiple opposition parties, during their visit to the violence-torn areas of Tripura, has asserted that there is a total collapse of law and order in the state.
Expressing strong apprehensions on the safety and security of civilians in the state, the MPs said they would raise the issues pertaining to the atrocities meted out against opposition party supporters in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha to mount pressure on the party in power.
Briefing the media persons at the State Guest House in Agartala, CPI-M Rajya Sabha member Elamaram Kareem said, “The government in Tripura has failed morally even if they secured the majority somehow. It was because of the division of votes, the coalition of the secular forces failed to defeat the BJP. But the majority of the electorates of the state had voted to dislodge the current dispensation. This is what prompted the ruling party-backed miscreants to let loose terror and atrocities upon the opposition party supporters of the state.”
Kareem also pointed out that the way people had been tormented here in the state just for subscribing to an ideology that is against the ruling party must draw national attention.
“People have vacated their houses. In some areas, local residents are not allowed to enter their own localities. We have decided that these issues will be raised in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. If required, we shall raise these issues in Lok Sabha through an adjournment motion. These issues must be discussed at the national level to expose the BJP. Yesterday, we saw how a mob shouting slogans tried to attack the MP delegation in a violence-affected area. This is the example of growing intolerance in the country,” he added.
Congress Rajya Sabha MP Ranjeet Ranjan, on the other hand, said, if required a team of MPs shall also meet the President of India on the poll violence in Tripura. “We have every reason to accuse the ruling party and the government of sheltering the miscreants involved in these attacks. Anti-social elements can never get involved in such kind of activities in such an organised manner unless they are enjoying impunity from police and law enforcement agencies. It is quite clear that the law ceases to exist in the state,” she claimed.
CPI MP Vinay Krishnan said, “No civilian can feel safe in their homes under this regime. He can be attacked, his house can be torched or his livelihood option can be snatched anytime given the state of law and order situation in Tripura. CPI candidate from Santirbazar Satyajit Reang, who earns his living from the two small plots of rubber plantations, had found both the plantations torched. This is the scale of attacks. If they can’t harm you physically, your small auto-rickshaw will become the victim of political vengeance; ponds have been poisoned, houses after houses have been looted, and in several areas, shops have been looted. There is no fixed pattern but some way or the other people had to pay the price of supporting the opposition parties.”
Earlier, in the morning, the fact-finding team met Governor of Tripura Stayadeo Narayan Arya. On what transpired at the meeting, CPI-M state secretary Jitendra Chaudhary said, “The Governor has been told by the police that 800 people had been arrested in connection with the post-poll violence. A few days back the Chief Secretary told us 250 people had been arrested. In reality, the police have served notices to the BJP goons and after a few hours of questioning they were released. People are so terrified in some areas that they don’t even have the courage to approach the police.”
Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee President Birajit Sinha has said, “I only have one request to the government of Tripura. Please don’t push the state towards civil war. When the victims will lose their tolerance and start welding weapons to protect themselves, the whole state will pay the price. Immediate action should be taken against the miscreants and all of them should be legally prosecuted.”
EASTMOJO PREMIUM
Help sustain honest journalism.
CPI-M MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee appealed to the government to compensate all the affected families after an assessment of their losses by an impartial committee of all parties. “If the government is really concerned about the incidents, we are demanding the formation of an all-party committee, empowering it to assess the losses incurred by the families. They should be duly compensated based on the report published by the committee,” Bhattacharjee added.
The MPs, however, declined to comment as to why only the Left and Congress supporters are the victims of the attacks, while TIPRA Motha has not raised similar allegations against the BJP.
Also Read | Congress claims delegation of its leaders attacked by ‘BJP goons’ in Tripura