Tripura Member of Parliament Biplab Kumar Deb, who is also a former Chief Minister of the state and a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), delivered a scathing critique of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) on Wednesday. He labeled the party as the “Permanent Emergency” for allegedly stifling democratic rights during its 35-year reign in Tripura.
Speaking at the ‘Samvidhan Hatya Diwas’ event in Agartala, which commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Emergency declared by former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Deb accused the Communists of establishing a regime that curtailed individual freedoms and civil liberties.
Deb drew parallels between the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi and the alleged perpetual state of emergency under the Communist rule in Tripura. He emphasized that the CPI(M) operated a system where nothing could be accomplished without the party’s consent, resulting in a lack of justice and freedom for the people of Tripura.
Furthermore, Deb accused the CPI(M) of having close ties to Maoist ideology. He referenced a recent statement by the CPI(M) Politburo regarding Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh, suggesting that the party was complicit in the creation of Maoist groups. Deb criticized the CPI(M) for mourning the deaths of Maoists while neglecting the welfare of the public.
In addition, Deb took aim at Rahul Gandhi, a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress, by questioning his understanding of the Constitution. Deb insinuated that Gandhi’s actions were hypocritical, as he claimed to champion the Constitution while allegedly lacking basic knowledge about its contents.
Deb also accused both the Congress and the Communists of distorting history and overlooking Tripura’s royal heritage. He alleged that during the Communist regime, textbooks were altered to omit references to Tripura’s monarchs, and the educational curriculum was manipulated for political purposes.
In conclusion, Deb cautioned against forgetting historical truths, warning that neglecting the past could lead to the erasure of Tripura’s cultural and historical identity. He suggested that the Communists’ agenda was to undermine the state’s cultural consciousness by rewriting history to serve their political interests.
