By our correspondent
Agartala. April 10, 2019: With first phase of polls is just hours away, Congress nominee from the West Parliamentary seat Subal Bhowmik staged a ‘dharna’ in front of Police Head Quarters in Agartala tonight at around 11pm protesting against alleged inadequate deployment of security personnel in Agartala, Police inaction in the wake of attacks on opposition candidates and intimidation of Congress leaders and workers.
“There is no deployment of Police or security personnel in and around the city even though the CEO talked about elaborate security arrangements in the city”, Bhowmik said and asked media persons, “Only few after city will go to polls, but have you seen any security personnel patrolling in your areas?”
He also raised doubts and thundered, where are the Central forces, why Central force personnels have been deployed.
Initially Bhowmik along with a handful Congress activists started dharna, but soon several other supporters joined and the size soon swelled. SDPO and other Officials rushed to the spot – but Police Officers and representatives of Election Commission were, practically and visibly, at loss of words in explaining reasons behind ‘no deployment’ of Central Forces or for that matter, lack of adequate security arrangements.
Bhowmik alleged, Congress leaders and workers were attacked during campaign, but Police administration miserably failed to initiate action for safety of opposition party leaders and workers. He also alleged, Congress supporters are receiving threats.
“Miscreants are threatening our supporters and asking them not to vote for Congress and Police administration has failed to react”, he alleged. Spewing venom at Police, Bhowmik termed them as the most ‘inefficient’ police force.
It is learnt, representatives of Election Commission and senior Police officials are trying to convince Bhowmik to end the dharna.
