Left, Cong leaders meet Tripura governor, to raise post-poll violence in Parliament

Taking a serious note of the clashes and violence in the aftermath of the elections in BJP-ruled Tripura, a Left-Congress delegation on Saturday said it will raise the issue in Parliament to bring the matter to the knowledge of all countrymen.

Members of the delegation, who had come under an attack of miscreants in Nehalchandranagar on Friday, during its tour of violence-hit areas, also said that senior leaders of the Left and the Congress will meet President Droupadi Murmu to apprise her of the "terror tactics unleashed by the BJP and RSS" in states ruled by the saffron camp.

Three people have so far been arrested in connection with Friday's incident in Nehalchandranagar area of Sepahijala district.

Addressing a press conference, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Elmaram Kareem claimed that the "BJP-RSS- backed goons have not just mounted attacks on the people of the state but also destroyed means of their livelihood", as many of them were forced to flee homes.

"The police are not taking action against the troublemakers, allowing them to roam about free for more vandalism in the northeastern state. It appears that law and order has completely collapsed in Tripura and the government has miserably failed to maintain peace," he told reporters here.

Kareem, who arrived here along with seven MPs and senior leaders to take stock of the situation in Tripura, said that "the fact-finding delegation had called on Governor Satyadeo Narain Arya and briefed him about the prevailing condition" in the state, where elections were held on February 16 and the result declared on March 2.

The governor gave the delegation assurance that he would look into the matter and do the needful, the CPI(M) leader stated.

"We will raise this issue of post-election violence in the both houses of Parliament to draw the attention of the country. People outside the state are not aware about the very serious situation here," he added.

All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ajay Kumar, who was also present at the press meet, claimed that the BJP has installed "Talibani raj" in Tripura.

Expressing concern over the attack on the MP delegation, Kumar said that the state had long been witnessing incidents of violence but "no measure has been taken to restore peace and order".

"Neither the prime minister nor the home minister has made any statement on the attack on MP delegation in Tripura. It is an insult to Parliament," he said.

CPI(M) state secretary Jitendra Chaudhury said over 1,000 incidents of post-poll violence have been reported in the state.

"Youth bearing affiliation to opposition camps had to leave homes and run for their lives in the wake of the unabated attacks. We want the government to be sympathetic towards those affected in the midst of post-poll violence," he said.

Tripura Congress president Birajit Sinha claimed that a "civil war-like situation" may arise in the state, if nothing was done immediately to stop the miscreants.

Among others, CPI(M) Rajya Sabha MP Bikash Ranjan Bhattacharjee was present at the meet.

Meanwhile, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee alleged that a "deep-rooted conspiracy" was behind the attack on the delegation.

"The Left and the Congress are simply trying to defame the BJP at the national stage. Chief Minister Manik Saha, who is in Delhi, has already spoken to the DGP and instructed him to take stern legal action on those involved in the attack. Senior party leaders have also discussed the matter with local functionaries," said Bhattcharjee.

The BJP-IPFT government recently returned to power in the state for the second consecutive term, with the saffron party bagging 32 seats in the 60-member assembly and the regional outfit securing one constituency.