Agartala: After CPM, Congress on Friday sought action from the Election Commission of India (ECI) against the violence allegedly perpetrated by ruling BJP cadres on the opposition parties and called for unity among the parties to defeat BJP in the upcoming assembly elections slated for next month.
Congress president Birjit Sinha alleged that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar during the visit of ECI full-bench assured the political parties that multi-level mechanisms and efforts have been made to ensure free, fair, and peaceful elections in the state but during the stay of CEC here BJP cadres burnt down a CPM party office at Matabari in Gomati district on Wednesday night.
In several places of Gomati, South Tripura, and Khowai districts the ruling party cadres have continuously been threatening the opposition workers, setting party offices on fire, attacking the houses and shops of opposition supporters, and instigating communal sentiment, Sinha alleged.
He pointed out All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Mukul Wasnik had made it clear that similar-minded political parties and parties who believe in the letter and spirit of the Indian Constitution to come together in a move to defeat the BJP in Tripura and discussion with CPM and TIPRA Motha has been progressing well.
Earlier, Wasnik told the media, “I have full confidence that Congress will succeed in the 2023 election. The party believes in the Indian Constitution and has respect for it in letter and spirit, we work to bring them together and I have faith in the people of the state to come and will support us.”
Meanwhile, CPM MLA Ratan Bhowmik alleged around 10:30 pm, unidentified assailants set our party office afire and said, “It was not the first time this party office came under attack. Miscreants attacked this party office more than once. The reason was to spark fear among the party supporters.
Unfortunately, police don’t take any action despite the identification of the criminals, which questions the commitment of ECI.”
He further alleged, ECI has launched Mission Zero Poll Violence, aiming to raise awareness among the political parties, workers, and voters to shun the violence but the effort has no visibility on the ground except for in the meetings and media.
There was so far no rational deployment of central forces rather the task has been vested to the local BJP leaders and Mandal office in connivance with a section of the police.
