Tripura Congress protests alleged attack on Shankaracharya, burns effigies of Modi and Yogi

The Tripura Pradesh Congress on January 21 staged a protest march in Agartala condemning the alleged attack on Jagatguru Shankaracharya and holy monks by the Uttar Pradesh police administration.

During the demonstration at the Orient Chowmuni area, Congress workers burned effigies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. Senior Congress leader and Tripura MLA Sudip Roy Barman led the protest and addressed the media.

 Sudip Roy Barman questioned the Uttar Pradesh government’s commitment to protecting religious traditions. “Those responsible for this incident in Uttar Pradesh cannot claim to be protectors of traditional religion. This incident has exposed them as hypocrites and political dealers,” he alleged.

Launching a sharp attack on the central government and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Congress MLA claimed that several ancient temples had been damaged or destroyed under the present regime. He alleged that a 1,300–1,400-year-old Ram temple in Delhi was demolished and that idols of Lord Ram and Lord Hanuman were dragged using bulldozers.

Barman further alleged damage to religious structures in Kashi, including the destruction of a Shivling and an idol of Lord Ganesh. “Even Aurangzeb did not destroy so many temples,” he said, accusing the central government of allowing large-scale destruction of religious heritage over the past 11 years.

He also accused the ruling government of misleading the public. “In the last 11 years, this government has turned some fools into blind devotees and blind devotees into fools. This is how they want to rule the country,” Barman claimed.

Criticising organisations such as the RSS and Bajrang Dal, he alleged that they benefit from and help sustain the current government.

He said the protest was organised to express public anger against those responsible for the present situation in the country. “The people of the country have realised that governance has fallen into the hands of hypocrites, thieves, scoundrels and cheats,” he added.