Tripura BJP alleges CPI(M) failed to act during massacre, riots, accused of division among Tribal, non-tribal communities

Tripura BJP President Rajib Bhattacharya on Thursday, September 4 launched a scathing attack on the principal opposition, CPI(M), holding the former Left Front government responsible for various massacres and riots, including the June 1980 riots and the 1996 Kamalpur Colony Bazar massacre in Tripura.

Addressing a press conference at the state BJP office, Bhattacharya alleged that the then Communist government neither set up an inquiry commission into the 1980 riots nor disclosed the number of deaths, displaced persons, or affected families.

“The ruling party had prior information but failed to alert the police. Even 36 hours after the Mandwi massacre, no official reached the spot. Dead bodies lay unattended for days,” he said.

He recalled that the then BJP national president, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, had visited Tripura and advised the government on handling the situation, but no steps were taken.

“The CPI(M) did not even express regret after the incident,” Bhattacharya added.

Referring to the 1996 Kamalpur killings in Dhalai District, he said 25 people were brutally murdered and blamed police inaction for the high death toll. He further alleged that the Left government, after coming to power in 1993, had even attempted to induct militants into state jobs in 1994 but rolled back under public pressure.

“The CPI(M) tried to sow division between tribal and non-tribal people. Now they are attempting to hide the truth, but the Chief Minister has already clarified who is responsible for the 1980 riots,” Bhattacharya said.

On a different note, he informed that the 56th GST Council meeting, chaired by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, decided on several tax relaxations, including reduction of GST rates and zero quota in some cases. He thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Finance Minister for the decisions.