BJP unleased post-poll violence after getting majority in Tripura: Opposition delegation

New Delhi [India], March 12 : CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Elamaram Kareem who led an 8-member fact-finding team to Tripura in the post-poll violence-hit areas on Sunday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party workers unleashed "unbridled attacks" on the people, particularly Opposition in the name of celebration after the party retained power in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
The delegation comprising the Opposition parties CPI(M), CPI, and Congress which were allies in the Tripura Assembly polls had visited the state to take stock of the situation in the areas where the post-poll violence was allegedly witnessed.
Returning from the northeastern state on Saturday night, the leaders held a press conference in the national capital on Sunday in which they alleged that violence had been unleashed on the opposition leaders and their supporters after the poll results were declared on March 2.
"What we witnessed and heard from the members of victim families were beyond imagination and far more shocking than we apprehended. We are in doubt, whether in any state of the country, such backlash is carried out by the ruling party on the followers of opponents only because they didn't support the ruling party and worked for the opposition in the just concluded Assembly election," Elamaram Kareem said.
"The victims informed us that the entire state sparked with an unprecedented backlash of terror and intimidations just at the moment the BJP got a majority in the counting of votes on 2nd March 2023. In the name of celebration of victory by the ruling BJP, its unruly workers let loose unbridled attacks with inhuman ferocity on the people particularly targeting the opposition leaders, workers, and supporters that resulted in the loss and destruction of huge number properties," the CPI(M) MP said.
Kareem further alleged that their team faced an attack in the Sepahijala district from a group of people chanting religious slogans.
"Inhuman physical attacks were carried on hundreds of opposition cadres and supporters whoever they came across. Amidst these visits, one of the teams, comprising CPI(M) State Secretary Jitendra Chaudhary, Congress Lok Sabha MP Abdul Khalique, and AICC General Secretary Ajoy Kumar, which was visiting parts of Bishalgarh in Sepahijala district, faced an attack at Nehalchandranagar village from a group of people chanting "Jai Shri Ram"," he said.
The CPI(M) MP claimed that the policemen were present on the spot of the alleged incident did not take any action and remained a mute spectator.
"The policemen present on the spot stayed completely inactive even as the mob hurled stones and vandalized our vehicles. This sort of attacks in Tripura remind us of a semi-fascist dispensation," he alleged.
"The law and order situation has deteriorated and through the attack on opposition leaders it has become evident that BJP's Gunda raj is being implemented in Tripura," Kareem added.
He said that the delegation called on the Governor on March 11 and submitted a memorandum seeking his intervention in the matter.
"Considering the gravity of the situation, the delegation met the Governor of the state on March 11 and submitted a memorandum to him explaining the situation and complete anarchy in the state. A list comprising the details of post-poll violence and victims was submitted to him and the delegation urged for his intervention," he said.
He said that the party will raise the issue in the Parliament and called upon other parties to unite for the people of Tripura.
"We have decided to raise this issue in the Parliament joining all opposition parties in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sanha. We hereby call upon all democratic forces to unite in solidarity with
the people of Tripura," he said.
The delegation which visited Tripura included Members of Parliament Elamaram Kareem, P.R. Natarajan, Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharyya and A.A. Rahim from CPI(M); Binoy Viswam from CPI; and Rajeet Ranjan, Abdul Khalique from Indian National Congress. Former Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Sarkar, State Congress President and newly election MLA Birajit Sinha, CP1(M) State Secretary, and newly elected MLA Jitendra Chowdhury, newly elected MLA Copal Roy, Nayan Sarkar, Sudip Sarkar, Ramu Das, and General Secretary of INC Dr. Ajoy Kumar and scores of state-level leaders of CPI(M), CPI, AIFB, and INC were also part of the delegation.