Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) hit hard the BJP-led state government over the removal of the Martyrs Column from Post Office Chowmuhni in Agartala recently. Hitting out at the Government Congress leaders alleged, “BJP is trying to distort the history of Tripura”.
Experts commented that the decision for the removal was taken as part of the Sainik Board demand. The Sainik Board felt that the guns and the column should be placed in a better and designated area so that soldiers who made supreme sacrifice could be honoured in a befitting manner and the history to the new generation could be told. It was after the Defence ministry gave the go ahead, the Smart City Ltd came to support the move. In fact, it was not the state government or the Smart City mission’s original idea.
Nevertheless the TPCC held BJP government responsible for the removal of the war memorial and demanded that the government to restore it and maintain the history on record.
Addressing a press conference in Agartala on Monday, party leader Prof. Manik Deb termed the removal of the column a highly objectionable and reprehensible act, he demanded that it should be reversed. Prof Deb also alleged, “This BJP government is destroying the history, tradition and culture of Tripura and this should be stopped immediately. We shall not allow it.”
Prof Deb came down heavily on BJP and said, “History says that the BJP played no role duri India and Bangladesh independence. It is the Congress party which played a key role under the former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and former chief minister of Tripura Sachindralal Singh.”
Referring to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War, Prof Deb said when East Pakistani people retaliated against the Pak Army to get liberation, with the direction of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi hundreds of people of Tripura assembled in Post Office Chowmuhani and extended India’s formal support to the liberation army – Mukti Yoddha. Gradually, the place had turned to a war yard and several initiatives and planning were made from this place in 1971.
Training his guns at the saffron Party, he alleged, “BJP has proved that the party has no respect for our martyred jawans and the jawans of our neighbouring Bangladesh nation who shed their blood for the Liberation of Bangladesh.”
Continuing his verbal tirade, Prof Deb demanded, “The memorial should be brought back to the post office immediately to protect the honor of the freedom fighters or else the Congress will take to the streets in the coming days.”