Naushad Siddique, the lone All India Secular Front member in the West Bengal Assembly, was on Saturday assaulted while on the dais at the protest venue of the joint forum of state government employees staging a relay fast and a sit-in demonstration to demand pending dearness allowance dues.
Siddique had been on the dais to express solidarity with the agitating employees. As he was addressing the protesters, a stranger wearing a black trouser, a camouflage-pattern shirt and cap and carrying a helmet, suddenly came up to him.
"What have you done for the sake of the minority community?" the stranger asked Siddique after stopping him from speaking. In response, the MLA said he does not intend to do anything only and specifically for the minority. "I want to work for all - majority or minority," he said.
At this, the stranger immediately lost his cool and immediately pushed the legislator heavily. However, those present at the dais immediately intervened and did not give him any chance to assault Siddique further.
Some of the agitators present on the dais in fury tried to attack the stranger, but were stopped by Siddique. "Leave him. This is nothing but a drama and an attempt to malign your movement," Siddique was heard saying.
The assailant was handed over to the police but his identity remains unknown so far.
Just before the attack on him, Siddique said that the state government's excuse of lack of funds for not paying the dearness allowance arrears was baseless. "But lots of money is spent by the government behind fairs and festivals. The state government should stop such wasteful expenditure and pay the legitimate dues of the state government," he said.
Siddique later told newspersons that the stranger was a plant by some vested interests to create confusion at the agitation venue. "But those who are present here are all educated people and hence, the stranger was handed over to police. I hope the police should now probe honestly to track the masterminds behind this incident... the police are supposed to protect this agitation dais as per court order," he said.
Flight operation between Agartala-Delhi to be increased; resumption of flight operation between Agartala-Aizawl, Agartala-Shillong, says MP Biplab Kumar Deb
The former Chief Minister and presently the MP for West Tripura constituency Biplab Kumar Deb on Friday chaired the airport advisory committee meeting here at Agartala MBB Airport and said that there is a plan to increase direct flight operation from Delhi to Agartala.
Tripura: Bill proposes hike in salaries of CM, Ministers and MLAs upto 50pc
An Amendment Bill has been moved in the Tripura Assembly on Friday proposing the increase of salaries, allowances of Ministers, MLAs and former legislators by 45 to 50 per cent.
Winter assembly session begins in Tripura; Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu lauds Govt’s effort in maintaining law and order in Tripura
In his speech in the sixth session of the 13th Tripura Legislative Assembly, the Governor said, “The state of Tripura is witnessing development in almost every sector including infrastructure, health care, education, agriculture and others under the guidance of the Centre and state leadership.”
TSF stages protest, demands to raise Roman script for Kokborok language in Assembly
The Twipra Student Federation (TSF), a wing of the North East Students Organisation (NESO), on Friday staged a protest near Circuit House in Agartala, demanding the issue of adopting the Roman script for the Kokborok language be raised in the winter session of the Tripura Legislative Assembly, which started today.
Govt to appoint over 400 Assistant Professors in colleges: CM
In a move to provide quality education to students studying in various colleges and to solve the crisis of Professors across the state, the Tripura government has taken a series of steps, including the appointment of 200 Assistant Professors,
Drug peddling: ED raids cop's residence, premises of suspected smugglers in Tripura
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) sleuths on Friday conducted raids in Tripura and searched the residence of a police official and premises of several people allegedly involved in drug peddling and money laundering cases, sources said.
Crucial winter session of Tripura Assembly to begin from tomorrow
The crucial winter session of the Tripura assembly would begin on Friday and a bill would be moved in the House amending the existing law to provide retirement benefits to all MLAs who have served even for just a day, officials said on Thursday.
Ex-CM accuses BJP of divisive politics to mask hide core issues
Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Saturday criticized the ruling BJP, accusing it of fostering divisions among Hindus, Muslims, Tribals, and Non-Tribals to divert attention from pressing issues such as rising prices, unemployment, and economic hardships.