The CPI(M) Polit Bureau issued a strongly worded statement condemning the incidents of political violence ahead of the panchayat elections in Tripura scheduled on August 8. The party accused the BJP of “creating an atmosphere of terror” and said the BJP has been “single-mindedly” pursuing the agenda of annihilating the Opposition in the State.
The Polit Bureau has demanded that adequate measures should be taken to ensure that all candidates are able to file nominations and the elections are held in a free and fair manner. The party said the CPI(M) workers have been under relentless attack from the BJP since the day the panchayat elections were announced.
“Candidates of the CPI(M) have been forcibly prevented from filing their nominations by resorting to savage assaults against them and their supporters,” the Polit Bureau said.
On July 13, Badal Shil, a CPI(M) candidate for South Tripura Zilla Parishad, was killed. The CPI(M) has blamed the BJP for the candidate’s murder. The party said the Opposition leaders are forcibly prevented from participating in all-party meetings called by election officials at various places.
The party said BJP leaders have threatened to kill any Opposition candidate trying to submit nominations and vehicles carrying Opposition leaders have been attacked in the presence of police. The CPI(M) said prominent leaders of the party have been waylaid and attacked. There have been incidents of stone-pelting on CPI(M) processions and bombs have been thrown on the residences of CPI(M) leaders, the Polit Bureau said.
“Ever since the BJP won the elections to the State assembly, it has single-mindedly pursued its agenda of annihilating the Opposition in the State. In these murderous attacks launched since 2018, 30 members and workers or the party have been killed,” the Polit Bureau said.
Such intimidatory tactics, the party said, have led to the “creation of an atmosphere of terror in the entire state casting aspersions on the free and fair conduct of the elections.”
