Political situation fast changing in Tripura to oust BJP govt: Ex-CM Manik Sarkar

Former Tripura Chief Minister and CPI-M politburo member Manik Sarkar on Thursday claimed that the political environment has been fast changing to oust the BJP government for its "misgovernance and lawlessness" in the state.

The CPI-M on Thursday organised a state-wide protest rally here in support of their six point demands and issues including alleged deterioration of the law and order situation, rising crime against women, mounting unemployment and reported corruption in the government.

Thousands of CPI-M members and supporters, including a large number of women braving heavy rain, took part in the gathering after the rally.

Addressing the gathering, Sarkar said that the political situation in the state has been fast changing, and the people are realising that the BJP government "while doing nothing, making false promises".  

"People are uniting themselves to oust the BJP government. We did not seek permission from the police for Thursday's rally, instead we just informed the police that we are organising the protest rally. If we sought permission for the rally, the police would reject it. Now they have no moral courage to prevent our rally," the Left leader said.

Claiming that 20 to 22 CPI-M leaders and members were killed by the "BJP goons" in the last six years, Sarkar alleged that none of the perpetrators involved in these killings were arrested yet or even if they were arrested no punishment was given.

Referring to the recent surrender of 584 extremists of the National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) and All Tripura Tiger Force (ATTF) outfits, the former Chief Minister (1998 to 2018) said that militants were earlier used against the then Left Front government.

"The extremists earlier killed many CPI-M leaders and cadres, including former Health and Family Welfare Minister Bimal Sinha (in 1998). During Left Front government tenures, the militancy was largely tamed. After many years from where such a large number of extremists came, where they stayed for so many years and all are all genuine militants?" Sarkar asked. 

He said that the militants even kidnapped four RSS pracharaks (in August 1999) from northern Tripura, and they still remained untraced.

"We have doubts whether these four pracharaks are alive."

CPI-M state Secretary and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led government in Tripura, alleging that rampant corruption has been going on in the government and the law and order situation has totally collapsed.

Claiming that "corruption and the BJP government had become synonymous in the state", the former minister alleged that from the Civil Secretariat to the Panchayat level corruption is rampant. 

"The people of Tripura, particularly in rural areas, were enduring severe financial hardships, exacerbated by nepotism, growing unemployment, and a complete breakdown of governance. If the government does not address the suffering of the public, the people, who came out in large numbers despite the festive season, would teach them a lesson," said Chaudhury, also a CPI-M central committee member.