Tripura ministers visit post poll violence-hit areas, seek Pradyot Debbarma’s intervention amid allegations against Tipra Motha

Two Tripura ministers on Sunday, April 19 criticized the Tipra Motha Party for allegedly launching massive violent attacks reportedly targeting BJP workers and party offices and requested the founder, Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, to appeal to his party workers to stop the attacks.

The attacks were reportedly carried out following the announcement of the Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council election results on April 17, where Tipra Motha swept the elections by winning 24 out of 28 seats.

Today, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Tinku Roy said that, along with the entire state, massive attacks were also carried out in the Krishnapur Assembly Constituency under Khowai district.

The minister, along with Tribal Welfare Minister Bikas Debbarma and BJP General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, visited the violence-affected areas today.

“Many houses and party offices were vandalized. Yesterday, we visited Ramchandraghat, Asarambari, and Teliamura under Khowai district and today we have come to Krishnapur Assembly where the BJP party office was vandalized, ransacked and set on fire. This is not politics. We have won many elections, including the 2018 Assembly election. We have also won Panchayat Samiti, Zila Parishad, and Lok Sabha elections. BJP is winning in other states as well as in Tripura, but after winning, attacking opposition party offices, what kind of politics is this?” said the minister.

He said that such culture and politics should be stopped.

“Yesterday, I also held talks with Tipra Motha Party founder Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma, requesting him to stop such incidents. Common people and poor people have come under attack. They are now in different camps. The Garia Festival is coming, and if they cannot return to their homes, it will not look good. In politics, one party will be in power and another in opposition, but that does not mean common people should come under attack. The administration is taking steps. Around 35 persons under Krishnapur are homeless,” he said.

Meanwhile, Finance Minister Pranajit Singha Roy, who visited parts of the South District where violence had occurred, said that in the Manu Bankul area some party offices were vandalized and set on fire.

“After the TTAADC election, the violence has continued here as well as in other parts of the state. The strange thing is that ‘thansa’ is attacking ‘thansa’ only. Those who are attacking are tribal, and the victims are also tribal. Tipra Motha’s Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma appealed for peace on Facebook, saying that everyone is ‘thansa’—tribal, Bengali, all are ‘thansa’. But after his appeal, the attacks have intensified. He is the supremo, yet after his appeal people are being attacked, and Motha supporters are threatening people. What kind of ‘thansa’ message is this? Manu Bankul is one of the renowned Buddhist pilgrimage sites, but they are also attacking tourist places,” he added.