Trinamool stages protest in Tripura against pre-poll violence

The Trinamool Congress on Thursday organised a massive demonstration in front of the police headquarters here to protest against the alleged attacks on its workers ahead of the November 25 elections to the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) and 19 other urban local bodies.

After the demonstration, a delegation of Trinamool leaders led by the party's Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev, state leader Subal Bhowmik and Rajib Banerjee met Deputy Inspector General (Southern Range) R.G.K. Rao and demanded immediate action against the attackers and to put an end to the violence against the opposition party workers and candidates.

Addressing the protesters, Dev said that the Trinamool has filed several FIRs with the police across Tripura after a series of violent attacks on the party men, but no arrest has been made so far.

"The police have become a puppet at the hands of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb. A reign of terror has been unleashed in Tripura and all the agencies, including the National Human Rights Commission and Women's Commission, have remained silent. This is the nation of Mahatma Gandhi, not the country of Nathuram Godse," she said.


Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Tripura police to ensure that no political party is prevented from exercising its right to campaign for the upcoming municipal elections in a peaceful manner.

Dev said the Trinamool wholeheartedly welcomes the decision of the Supreme Court, which would help every person in Tripura exercise his/her democratic right in peace and with even more enthusiasm.

"I thank the Supreme Court for intervening to ensure that elections are free and fair in Tripura. The lawlessness and the complacency of the Tripura Police has made a mockery of democracy," she tweeted.


The top court passed the interim order after hearing the submissions of senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the Trinamool, and Dev.

The plea cited alleged violence against the party members and sought a direction to protect them for the municipal polls slated on November 25.

Trinamool's Tripura unit chief Bhowmik later told the media that so far, 13 Trinamool candidates, including women, have been attacked by the BJP workers and their goons in different parts of the state, but the police did nothing.


Bhowmik claimed that homes of many Trinamool candidates were attacked by the BJP workers and their goons and many of them were physically assaulted.

The Opposition party also urged the State Election Commission (SEC) to take appropriate measures to hold the civic polls smoothly and peacefully.

The BJP, however, has rubbished Trinamool's accusations.


BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee alleged that the Trinamool has unleashed a reign of terror in West Bengal against the BJP and brought the culture of violence in the peaceful Tripura to malign the state government.

"The Trinamool ministers, MPs and leaders are often coming to Tripura, spending lakhs of rupees they bagged from various chit funds," Bhattacharjee told the media.

The ruling BJP has won 112 (34 per cent) of the 334 seats uncontested in the AMC and 19 other urban local bodies ahead of the November 25 elections.


SEC officials said that the BJP has already secured the majority in seven civic bodies -- Jirania, Ranir Bazar, Mohanpur, Bishalgarh, Santir Bazar, Udaipur and Kamalpur.

The officials said that now 785 candidates from various political parties, including BJP, CPI-M led Left parties, Trinamool Congress and Congress, are vying for the 222 seats.

The counting of votes will take place on November 28 -IANS