Communist party of India – Marxist (CPI-M) leader Manik Sarkar on Saturday called for “restoration of democracy” in the northeastern state of Tripura.
Sarkar, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the state, labeled the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) government as “anti-people”.
The former chief minister of Tripura said that under current CM Biplab Kumar Deb, a “suffocating situation” has been created with the democratic rights of people getting curbed.
The veteran leader speaking at a rally said, “Upholding democratic rights is important for a democracy. In Tripura, democratic values and rights are being trampled leaving the people in distress. Not only the Scheduled Caste (SC) population, all sections of society be it dalit or minority are facing the brunt of anti-people policies.”
The Tripura Tapashilijati Sammanoy Samity (TTSS), a frontal wing of the CPI-M organised the rally to put forward a charge sheet against the BJP-IPFT government on the 16-point charter of demands.
Sarkar said that the movement against the anti-people government had to be intensified as he urged the people to restore democracy in the state.
“Those who confine themselves to homes must come forward to join the movement for restoration of democracy. No alternative way is left. Those persons become winners who join the massive movement for the cause of people,” he said.
In addition, the Tripura CPI-M leader also took a swipe at the state government’s much hyped decision to provide 33 per cent reservation to women.
He said, “What is the meaning of providing 33 per cent reservation to women when there is no job in the government sector? The BJP had promised 50,000 jobs for each year! Where is the fulfillment?”
Sarkar further claimed that the good works of the Left Front government have been razed to the ground and people are facing problems in the new regime.
Meanwhile, CPI-M state secretary Jitendra Chowdhury also slammed the BJP-IPFT government stating that it was “befooling people with false promises”.
He said, “The Biplab Kumar Deb government has taken away the rights of lakh of unemployed youths. Not a single promise of the vision document has been fulfilled by the present government.”
Chowdhury further alleged that the democracy, the constitution and the state’s tradition have all collapsed under the BJP rule with voting rights of citizens being snatched away.
Notably, the BJP-IPFT alliance came to power in Tripura in 2018 by ending 25 years of CPI-M led Left Front rule.
