Agartala: As many as eight BJP workers were injured after supporters of the Tipra Motha party allegedly launched an unprovoked attack on them at Bubhiram Chowdhury Para under the Nalchar Assembly constituency in Tripura’s Sepahijala district on Sunday.
The party workers were inspecting the site of a makeshift party booth office, which had been set ablaze the previous night.
Local MLA and Minister Kishor Barman rushed to the spot early in the morning to assess the situation. He visited the site where the office had been erected and advised the party workers to rebuild it according to the party’s instructions. Soon after Barman left, hundreds of armed miscreants reportedly attacked the BJP supporters.
A local ST Morcha leader suffered a fractured arm. Several of the injured BJP workers were shifted to local hospitals for treatment. Those with severe injuries requiring advanced medical care for fractures were referred to GB Pant Hospital, Agartala, for better intervention.
Party sources claimed that if the attack had occurred an hour earlier, the minister himself could have come under threat.
Upon being informed, Barman visited the local hospital to inquire about the health of the injured party workers.
Expressing his resentment, Barman said that the “fear of defeat” had prompted Tipra Motha to resort to such attacks on BJP workers.
“The miscreants who previously perpetrated political violence at the behest of the CPI(M) are now using the identity of Tipra Motha to continue their tradition of political violence. If our rivals think we lack strength, it would be a grave mistake. The truth is, we do not believe in violence. I admit that I haven’t secured the desired votes from this area, but I am always here whenever locals need support, unlike the MDC from Tipra Motha, who has not shown up once after being elected,” alleged Barman.
In a veiled jibe at Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, Barman said that the “Contractor of Thansa” must disclose the real facts to the public.
‘Thansa’ is a political slogan of Tipra Motha, coined by its founder, Pradyot Kishore Debbarma.
“The Tripura government has allocated sufficient funds to the TTAADC administration for development projects, but the results are nowhere to be seen. To the best of my knowledge, the contractor of ‘Thansa’ is rerouting funds outside the country. He talks a lot but remains silent about TTAADC accounts. Even auditing is not permitted in the TTAADC administration, which is unacceptable and raises serious questions about accountability,” said Barman.