The Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) has accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-backed miscreants of vandalizing their local committee office in Pratapgarh, West Tripura. The incident, which took place in the early hours of the morning, saw the attackers using a bulldozer to cause extensive damage to the office premises.
Jitendra Chaudhury, the Leader of Opposition and state secretary of the CPI(M), condemned the attack as a cowardly act carried out under the cover of darkness. He criticized the BJP and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) for their lack of respect for democratic values, citing video evidence of the vandalism. Chaudhury expressed concern over the deteriorating democratic atmosphere in the state and accused the ruling party of being complicit in the attack.
Ratan Das, the CPI(M) district secretary for West Tripura, revealed that this was the seventh attack on the party office since the BJP came to power in the state. He described the incident as a pre-planned attack, noting that the front gate and doors of the office had been destroyed. Despite filing a complaint with the police, Das criticized the lack of action taken and the absence of any arrests in connection to the vandalism.
Ashim Bhattacharjee, the BJP district president, declined to comment on the allegations made by the CPI(M). However, police authorities confirmed receiving the complaint and informed that the bulldozer used in the attack had been seized. Subrata Debnath, the officer-in-charge of the East Agartala police station, stated that an investigation into the incident was underway.
The CPI(M) has demanded swift justice and accountability for the perpetrators of the attack on their party office. The incident has raised concerns about political violence and intimidation in the region, with calls for peaceful and democratic means of resolving conflicts.
