TRIPURA

CPI(M) alleges attack on party cadres ahead of panchayat polls; demands state election commissioner to ensure adequate deployment of force

• 24 Jun 2024

The opposition CPI(M) on Monday raised concern over the alleged deteriorated law and order situation and demanded the state election commission to ensure deployment of adequate paramilitary force for the upcoming panchayat elections.

CPI(M) leader Manik Dey, Pabitra Kar and Ratan Bhowmik jointly wrote to the state election commissioner and stated, “In the backdrop of upcoming Panchayat General Election which is waiting to be declared very soon, we are very much worried about the deliberate drive of a section of the ruling BJP workers to vitiate the pre-election atmosphere.”

“It is unfortunate that the police administration as well as some of the Election officials show leniency towards the anti-democratic elements of the ruling party instead of taking legal and administrative measures against the perpetrators,” the letter reads.

The party leaders further stated, “In the last Panchayat General election in 2019, we have seen that the BJP terror-mongers camped in make-shifts inside the block premises of most of the Panchayat Blocks to prevent opposition parties from collecting nomination forms and submit those. In this way they managed more than 90% Panchayat seat win uncontested.”

Citing some incidents of attack, the party leaders stated, “On 20th May 2024, a group of party leaders including Madhusudhan Das, party State Committee Member, Tapan Das, party SDC Secretariat member were attacked at the exit point of the Jirania RD Block premises while coming out after an all party meeting called by the BDO, Jirania. The car with which they were travelling was damaged. While the party leaders sought help from police to attend the next two all party meetings in the same block, the police expressly informed inability to protect us. Thus we had to abstain from those meetings.”

They also alleged of separate incidents took place on June 6 and June 9 last where party leader Nirmal Sarkar was attacked and injured inside Boxanagar R.D. Block in presence of BDO, while another three or four party workers at Salema Block premises while they were returning from an all party meeting convened by the BDO.

“On 21 and 22nd June, the BJP miscreants entered into the Bishalgarh Sub- Divisional Committee office at Office Tilla, Bishalgarh at broad day light and threatened to stop all type of functions therein,” the letter stated.

The CPI(M) also demanded the state election commissioner to ensure restoration of an atmosphere properly conducive for free and fair election throughout the state and ensuring proper security of the candidates particularly the opposition candidates.