Opposition’s tit-for-tat against BJP raises fears of rise in violence in Tripura

AGARTALA: Political observers are concerned over the fast-deteriorating law-and-order situation in Tripura barely two months ahead of the assembly elections after opposition parties allegedly resorted to counter-attacks on the ruling BJP across the state.
CPM, TIPRA Motha and Congress have been allegedly launching retaliatory attacks on BJP leaders and cadres for the last few weeks in South Tripura, Gomati, Sepahijala and Khowai districts whenever the opposition parties are facing obstruction in their political activities.
Police said BJP’s tribal front general secretary Devid Debbarma came under an attack on Thursday during a party activity allegedly by TIPRA Motha workers in the Sutarmura area of Sepahijala district which is part of the assembly constituency of deputy chief minister Jishnu Dev Varma. Devid and his team were attacked a day after an assault by CPM in Khowai, which left at least 12 BJP workers critically injured.
Devid Debbarma alleged that they were attacked while returning from a door-to-door campaign in Sutarmura village for the upcoming assembly election and to oversee the preparation of a party conference there. “Allegedly, around 40 workers of TIPRA Motha launched an attack on us with sticks,” he said.
However, CPM state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury said BJP has been continuing its attacks and atrocities across Tripura from the day it won the elections. Hundreds of houses, shops and party offices of the opposition parties were vandalised and looted by BJP supporters in the presence of police in the past 57 months, he added.
“A large number of supporters of non-BJP parties have lost their livelihood options, deprived of government welfare and facilities, many of them were forced to join BJP’s criminal gangs for survival,” said Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman.