BJP government creating anarchy in Tripura: Manik Sarkar

Agartala, May 25 (IANS) Undemocratic actions by the BJP-led alliance government in Tripura, like bulldozing of over 100 opposition party offices and attacks on opposition leaders and supporters, are creating anarchy in the state, former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar said here on Friday.

"There is a huge crisis of food and jobs in Tripura specially in the hilly and interior areas. Without dealing with the basic crisis, the BJP government is bulldozing opposition party offices.

"The BJP and IPFT cadres are attacking opposition party members and workers daily while the government and police authority remain completely inactive," the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo member said.

"Within two weeks of assuming office, the government stopped 33 social pensions introduced by the previous Left Front government that benefited over 4.50 lakh poor."

Sarkar, CPI-M central committee member Bijan Dhar and other Left leaders addressed a three-hour sit-in, a first of its kind agitation programme after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (IPFT) government assumed office on March 9.

The former Chief Minister urged the government to establish normalcy and resolve the basic problems of the people who, according to the Left leader, are now fear-stricken and panicky.

"Rule of law has been motivatedly kept in abeyance allowing the ruling party goons to attack opposition party members and workers. The BJP is keen to establish a one party rule in Tripura. No democracy in Tripura now. Democracy has been totally bulldozed."

CPI-M state Secretary and Left Front convener Bijan Dhar said since the February 18 Assembly poll results were announced on March 3, the BJP and IPFT workers attacked, looted and burnt down around 3,000 houses and 400 shops owned by CPI-M supporters and members.

Also, around 250 vehicles and over 55 rubber gardens of CPI-M supporters and members were either destroyed or burnt down while the party's mouthpiece "Daily Desher Katha" is not allowed to circulate in different parts of the state.

"Around 100 opposition party offices including 62 of CPI-M's and its trade unions have been bulldozed in Tripura since May 7. BJP workers forcibly occupied over 200 offices of various Left frontal organisations," Dhar told the gathering.

He said the CPI-M lodged cases but overuling the sub-judice issues, the BJP government destroyed these old party offices.

Addressing the media separately, Congress leader Tapas Dey said more than 25 of their party offices including trade union offices, some of them 60 to 70 years old, have been demolished though the party has valid official documents of these offices.

"We would go to court against it. Totally undemocratic governance...," Dey said.

Officials said the district administrations demolished the party offices built on government land.

Meanwhile, on Friday six CPI-M leaders were injured when "BJP activists" attacked a party procession in Belonia.

"When we are going to meet the Sub-Divisional Magistrate to demand for food and rural jobs, BJP goons attacked us, injuring six party leaders," CPI-M Belonia Divisional Secretary Tapas Datta said, adding that police was a spectator during the attack.