BJP national spokesperson Dr Sambit Patra addressing media in Agartala on Sunday. Photo by Pinaki Das

BJP national spokesperson Dr. Sambit Patra demanded CBI probe into the killings of two journalists namely Santanu Bhowmik and Sudip Dutta Bhowmik within a span of two months in Tripura.

Dr. Patra arrived in Agartala on Saturday on a two-day visit to Tripura to interact with party workers and locals to take stock of the present law and order situation under Manik Sarkar led government in the state.

Expressing serious concerns over the incidents of killings of two scribes, Dr Patra termed the attacks as the attacks on right to expression in Left rule Tripura.

Addressing a press conference in the BJP headquarters the BJP national spokesperson raised questions saying, “If chief minister Manik Sarkar could demand for CBI probe in the murder of Bangalore-based journalist Gauri Lankesh why he is not proposing for the same in the murders of two journalists who are sons of the soil. Why is this double standard? Is it you because as people are suspecting that you are involved in them?”

Alleging that there have been efforts to cover up the murder of Sudip Dutta Bhowmik right from the beginning, Dr Patra said that Sudip might be having some documents that could have put the chief minister in trouble.

Dr. Patra said Tripura under Manik Sarkar is the best example of the popular saying that wherever there is Left there is nothing left for the economy because basic amenities like drinking water, employment and hospital are lacking even in the Chief Minister’s own constituency Dhanpur.

He said, “Tripura should have been a place of joy because of its natural resources but the Left government has brought a sense of insecurity.”

BJP state president Biplab Deb and observer Sunil Deodhar were also present in the press conference.