Ex-CM Manik Sarkar to lead delegation to Tripura’s violence-hit Charilam
CPI (M)’s Tripura secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said 24 leaders of the Left Front have been killed in the state and over 500 injured while many have been forced to leave their homes due to political violence since the BJP-led government came to power in 2018
Former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar was scheduled to lead an Opposition Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI (M) delegation to Charilam on Friday two days after an activist of the party was killed and at least 12 injured in a clash with ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s supporters.
“We demand a proper and impartial probe into the incident,” said CPI (M)’s Tripura secretary Jitendra Chaudhury on Thursday. He said 24 leaders of the Left Front have been killed in the state and over 500 injured while many have been forced to leave their homes due to political violence since the BJP-led government came to power in 2018.
Charilam is deputy chief minister Jishnu Devvarma’s stronghold.
Congress leader Asish Kumar Saha blamed police negligence for the violence on Wednesday and said it shows the state government has failed to ensure law and order.
Tipraha Indigenous Progressive Regional Alliance leader Pradyot Kishore Debbarma appealed for peace and putting an end to the violence. “People are saying a worker has died in a clash but...this man was also a Father, Husband or a Brother to someone first before a Party worker.”
He said when clashes and deaths are justified as normal in a political fight, then something is terribly wrong. “An Indian citizen first lost his life today and not a party worker and we should extend all possible help to his family in this difficult times. ...our simple workers and people should realise that fighting with each other for the sake of politicians helps no one,” he wrote on social media. He added police should be allowed to work independently.
BJP leader Nabendu Bhattacharya called CPI (M)’s allegations of political violence false and accused the supporters of the Opposition party of attacking and injuring theirs.