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On the day a BJP government headed by 48-year-old Biplab Kumar Deb took oath in Tripura, the Left parties held protest march in Delhi seeking an end to post-poll violence in the State.
While a host of BJP leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, party president Amit Shah and BJP veterans LK Advani and MM Joshi, along with Chief Ministers of the party from other States attended the swearing-in in Agartala on Friday, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury started visiting villages affected by the violence. He said he will extend his stay in the State if need be.
Meanwhile in Delhi, about seven Left parties held a protest march. Addressing the rally, CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat said the attacks were aimed at browbeating the Left and its supporters in Tripura. “They constitute a heinous attack on democracy,” he said.
The Left parties claimed that over 600 supporters of the Left have been injured in the attacks and 1,539 houses of Left supporters have been attacked and 196 houses have been burnt down. Karat also condemned the destruction of the statue of Lenin in Tripura as well as the defacement of statues of Periyar and Ambedkar in other parts of the country.
“They (the BJP) are afraid of every symbol of the fight against oppression and exploitation,” he added.
Postponement of poll
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) approached Chief Election Commissioner Om Prakash Rawat demanding the postponement of election to the Charilam constituency in Tripura till “peace and normalcy is restored” in the State. “The CEC assured that after having ascertained all facts, a decision will be taken,” the party said in a statement.
The election was rescheduled to 12 March due to the death of the CPI(M) candidate there. “However, since the announcement of the election results on March 3, there have been widespread attacks on CPI(M) leaders, workers and its offices all over the state,” CPI(M) leader MA Baby said in the memorandum.
“With a view to vitiating the peaceful election and winning the seat in Charilam, the BJP has let loose a reign of terror and violence against the CPI(M) and the Left Front,” he said.
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