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Agartala, Oct 25 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Saturday stressed the need to maintain peace and harmony in the state, saying politics cannot be run by muscle power or communal incitement.
Senior BJP leader Saha welcomed 339 voters from 109 families, mostly from tribal communities, who joined the BJP at a function in Mandwai in West Tripura district.
A day after 6,400 voters, mostly tribals, joined the BJP in Krishnapur in Khowai district, 339 voters joined the BJP on Saturday. The latest induction follows another incident four days earlier, when 690 tribal voters from 200 families joined the ruling party in the presence of the Chief Minister at Takarjala in Sipahijala district on October 22.
Earlier this month and in September, several hundred tribals had also joined the BJP, further strengthening the party’s base in tribal areas ahead of the crucial elections to the politically crucial Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) early next year.
Addressing the function, the Chief Minister said that the state government is working for the welfare of the people in the tribal (tribal) areas and the BJP is committed to freeing the state from the politics of fear.
Making a veiled attack on BJP’s junior ally Tipra Motha Party (TMP), Saha said, “Attempts to suppress the voice of the people through muscle power will not be tolerated under any circumstances.” He reiterated, “If anyone attacks us, we will give a befitting reply through legal means.”
The Chief Minister’s comments come in the wake of the violent attack by a section of TMP-affiliated Tiprasa Civil Society (TCS) workers during the bandh at Santirbazar in Dhalai district on Thursday (October 23). More than 12 people were injured in the violence and widespread destruction that followed.
The injured include Salema Block Development Officer (BDO) Abhijeet Majumdar, Kamalpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Samudra Debbarma, engineer Animesh Saha and businessman Subrata Paul.
Saha said, “I always feel that no one can be braver than the tribe (tribals). Tribes are indeed brave, but this courage does not mean hitting someone on the head with a stick. True courage means confidently expressing one’s expertise and having leadership qualities, which are very present in the tribe.”
He said that Tripura has been suffering from the politics of fear for a long time, which the BJP is committed to end.
“Wherever communists have ruled, scenes of murder, terrorism and arson have been witnessed,” Saha claimed.
The Chief Minister said that since Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister in 2014, the nature of politics has changed in the entire country and under his leadership India has emerged as a strong nation.
He said, “We are also trying to work in the direction shown by the Prime Minister. But an attempt is being made to create an atmosphere of anarchy in Tripura. We have the right to do politics anywhere. Now there is no monarchy there, there is democracy. In democracy anyone can go anywhere.”
“How long can one continue to use physical force and communal incitement? In an incident in Takrajala, a 75-year-old woman was stabbed in the leg. Under what circumstances can this be justified? What kind of politics is this?” Saha asked.
He said CPI(M) ruled Tripura, West Bengal and Kerala for years, but in Tripura in 2018, BJP came to power under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi and the communist rule ended.
Saha warned that if any party tries to forcefully suppress the voice of the people, the government will take all necessary action.
He said, “I have repeatedly said that if politics is done in a democratic spirit, we will co-exist peacefully. But if pressure is exerted through wrong means to sabotage the government or the party, we will not tolerate it.”
The Chief Minister reiterated that the BJP government is committed to the welfare and development of the people in the tribal areas.
He said, “I am happy to see the increasing presence of tribal mothers and sisters in recent events. They understand the importance of development and harmony and have a special role to play in strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party.”
BJP state president Rajiv Bhattacharya, former Lok Sabha Tripura, BJP state general secretary Bipin Debbarma and other senior leaders were present at the function.
–IANS
SC/PGH