Normal life paralyzed in Tripura North amid 24 hr Bandh call by Congress

Normal life was paralyzed in the northern districts of Tripura as a 24-hour bandh call given by Congress in support of its 16-point charter of demand is on since the morning of August 8.

Roads wore a deserted look as picketers associated with the Congress blocked roads and burned tyres while many others demonstrated in front of various offices and raised slogans as they dominated the area in motorcycles with party flags and to stop movement on the roads. Only a few two-wheelers and pedestrians were seen on the streets.

Attendance in schools, colleges, and offices remained low. 

Birajit Sinha, president of Tripura Pradesh Congress declared the bandh as a “total success and claimed people ‘spontaneously supported it,” as the cause for the bandh is to give them relief from the misrule of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“We demand the withdrawal of false cases against Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and other Congress senior leaders by ED beside the withdrawal of Agnipath scheme as it is not only a threat to our national security and soldiers but will also destroy the future generation,” he said, reiterating the16-point charter of demand.

Besides these, the Congress also demanded the formation of a Development Council for 50 underprivileged communities including 20 tribal clans, distributing of loans of Rs 5 lakh to over 3 lakh unemployed citizens, putting an end to an illegal collection of money from students under the Vidya Jyoti Scheme, among others.

Restoration of Kailasehar airport, a second railway line up to Sabroom via Khowai, setting up of border haats at Kailasehar and Kamalpur, a land port in Kailasehar, and a railway division at Daharmanaga, were cited as local demands made by the agitating Congress.

Meanwhile, a large number of police personnel have been deployed and no incidents of violence have been reported from the ground.

However, police have detained more than one thousand Congress supporters including Sinha, and NSUI state president Samrat Roy from Kailasehar.

Congress has also demanded the arrest of the ruling BJP thugs accused of attacking Congress president and MLA Sudip Roy Barman.