May 07, 2018: Political temperature soared high on Rain soaked Monday morning as the West Tripura District administration bulldozed ‘illegal’ constructions in Old Motor Stand area in Agartala today. In a pre-dawn operation, administration armed with big earth movers and bulldozers started demolishing activities causing opposition uproar. Opposition Parties – CPIM, Congress and tribal based INPT – have started breathing fire against the ruling Government and threatened to hold protest programmes denouncing the demolition action.
Recently the State government announced that all the offices of political parties built on Government land would be demolished. Accordingly, administration identified offices of political parties and their frontal organizations across the State. As expected most of the ‘illegally’ constructed offices belong to CPIM and its frontal organization – however, Congress and even Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh of BJP offices were also found defaulter on this count.
Today, accompanied by large contingent of TSR and CRPF, West District administration led by the DM, Dr. Milind Ramteke swung into action and cleared government land out of illegal construction. Party offices and roadside stalls were pulled down freeing up vast area in congested Old Motor Stand Area.
The action irked the opposition parties – CPIM, Congress and INPT –and opposition leaders strongly condemned the action. Although no untoward incidences took place, Opposition parties made the demolition action a political issue against the ruling BJP-IPFT.
Former Transport minister and State president of CITU Manik Dey along with MP and CITU leader Sankar Prasad Dutta visited the spot after the demolition drive.
Strongly condemning the government move, Dey said that without any prior notice, the government bulldozed the party offices, He termed the action as “very undemocratically”.
“After coming to power, the BJP government has been taking one after another undemocratic steps against the opposition parties, especially against the Left parties,” Dey told the media.
Besides, TPCC president Birajit Sinha and CPI-M state secretary Bijan Dhar also strongly condemned the incident. Dhar demanded immediate withdrawal of the government decision while the TPCC president asked for an all-party meeting in this regard.
Sinha said the TPCC would stage a protest rally in the city on May 17 next. The Congressmen also agitated in front of DM office to register their protest against the state government’s decision.
