Agartala: Tension flared in parts of Tripura within hours of Chief Minister Dr. Manik Saha addressing a joining programme at Takarjala, as two ruling BJP party offices were allegedly vandalised and a car belonging to a local leader was attacked, leaving several people injured, party functionaries said on Wednesday.
BJP state general secretary Bipin Debbarma said miscreants targeted the party’s Mandal office at Khumulwng on Tuesday night and later attacked the Mandal unit in Jampuijala, both under the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council.
“On Tuesday night, our Mandal office located at Khumulwng was vandalised by miscreants. Party flags, furniture and photographs of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharaja Bir Bikram were torn and damaged. Our party workers who tried to resist the vandals sustained injuries. The incident occurred around 8.30 pm,” Debbarma told reporters while travelling to the affected areas.
Detailing the second incident, he said that on Wednesday afternoon unidentified miscreants vandalised the four-wheeler of BJP Mandal president Nirmal Debbarma at Jampuijala and also allegedly attacked the local Mandal office. “One of our workers who tried to resist was thrashed inhumanly. I am currently on my way to Jampuijala,” he said.
Although BJP leaders refrained from making direct accusations, several of them hinted that workers of the alliance partner Tipra Motha might be involved in the attacks. The relationship between the BJP and Tipra Motha, despite being partners in the ruling coalition, has remained fraught with tension in recent months, with leaders from both sides trading veiled barbs while avoiding open confrontation. Political observers often describe the arrangement between the two parties as “bitter in private but sweet in public”.
Tipra Motha MLA and senior leader Biswajit Kalai, however, alleged that BJP supporters were responsible for disturbing peace in the region and accused the ruling party of attempting to create unrest. He also charged Chief Minister Saha with adopting a partisan approach. “He is the Chief Minister of every citizen of the state. If he appears to take the side of a particular political party during public addresses, it sends out the wrong message. Some portions of his speech are extremely provocative,” Kalai told journalists at Khumulwng on Tuesday night.
Kalai claimed that three Tipra Motha workers were injured in a clash that allegedly erupted after BJP workers launched an “unprovoked” attack on “innocent” supporters of his party.
Reacting to the allegations, Bipin Debbarma said, “BJP workers are not involved in any kind of violence. We have lodged an FIR in connection with the Khumulwng incident and another FIR will be filed over the Jampuijala attack.” He said the party expected police to act, identify the assailants and ensure that political programmes could be conducted peacefully in the days ahead.
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