Agartala, Sep 27 (PTI) Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar on Sunday faced protests and black flags by a group of villagers in West Tripura district while he was on his way to attend a DYFI programme, police said.
Sarkar’s party, the CPI(M), and the Congress condemned the attack and alleged that it reflects the prevailing law-and-order situation under the BJP-led government in the state.
Police said Sarkar was proceeding to attend the Mohanpur divisional committee conference of CPI (M)’s youth organisation, DYFI, at Kalibazar around 12 pm when protesters surrounded his vehicle and raised slogans asking him to go back.
They also waved black flags at Sarkar who was the chief minister between 1998 and 2018.
“A strong contingent of police and CRPF personnel reached the spot after being alerted and escorted Sarkar safely to the local CPI(M) office. The ex-chief minister addressed the programme and safely returned to Agartala”, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO), Mohanpur, Asish Das Gupta, said.
CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the Tripura Assembly, Jitendra Chaudhury, condemned the incident and said he had spoken to Director General of Police (in-charge) GS Rao, who assured him that the matter would be looked into.
“It was a deliberate attempt to prevent the former chief minister from attending a party programme. The BJP leaders who had stopped him and staged protests will not be able to hide once the people hit the streets,” Chaudhury said.
Senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman also protested the incident and alleged that the attack on a former CM reflected the prevailing law-and-order situation under the BJP-led government.
He demanded action against those involved in the protest and alleged that the demonstrators had acted at the behest of local BJP leaders.
The BJP’s response to the allegations was not immediately available. PTI PS NN
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