Team of Parliamentarians Attacked in Tripura; Was Probing Post-Poll Violence

Guwahati: A team of parliamentarians that reached BJP-ruled Tripura on Friday on a two-day visit to investigate post-poll political violence and hold talks with the affected people were attacked. Three persons were arrested in connection to this attack.

CPI(M) Tripura state secretary and former minister Jitendra Chaudhury said parliamentary team following this attack, the team was compelled to suspend its residual outdoor programmes scheduled on Saturday.

The team allegedly faced the attack at Nehalchandra Nagar Bazar in Bisalgarh on Friday evening. Members of the parliamentary team went to violence-hit Bishalgarh in Sepahijala district, There some persons backed by the ruling BJP attacked them and damaged three vehicles, alleged Congress and CPI (M) leaders of Tripura.

“The MPs and the accompanying Congress and CPI(M) leaders quickly left the place and escaped the major attack,” the CPI(M) said in a statement. BJP workers also obstructed the visiting parliamentary team at Mohanpur in western Tripura.

A police statement said the MPs accompanied by local MLAs and leaders faced sloganeering during an unscheduled visit.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh condemned the incident. “A delegation of Congress leaders was attacked by BJP goons today in Bishalgarh and Mohanpur in Tripura. Police accompanying the delegation did nothing. And tomorrow BJP is having a victory rally there. Victory of party-sponsored violence,” Ramesh tweeted.

Congress and CPI(M) leaders said the parliamentary team, comprising four Lok Sabha MPs and three Rajya Sabha MPs divided into three groups, were to visit violence-hit villages and urban areas in three districts – West Tripura, Sepahijala and Gomati. Some local MLAs were to accompany them.