BJP activists attacking houses of Cong supporters : TPCC chief

Agartala: Opposition Congress in Tripura Thursday alleged that ruling BJP activists had attacked the houses of the party's supporters after the Congress' win in three states in the just concluded assembly elections. President of Tripura PCC, Birajit Sinha alleged inaction by the police despite lodging an FIR police and remained mere spectator. BJP, he said, was frightened by the assembly poll results of five states which went to poll recently and they were seeing the "spectre of defeat" in the coming general elections to be held next year.

Congress has won in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. He alleged that BJP activists attacked the house of Ratan Das, who had contested and lost from Badharghat constituency in the February assembly poll in the state here. "BJP supporters and activists started attacking the Congress supporters just after the election results were announced on Tuesday last. "They damaged our party offices and attacked the Congress activists in different parts of the state since Tuesday night apparently to create a fear psychosis", Sinha said.

He said more than 100 BJP cadres attacked Das' house at Kathaltali area in Badharghat on December 11 and damaged his car and properties and threatened to kill him and his family members on Tuesday night. "They (BJP cadres) also attacked our party supporters at Charilam and Chowmohni Bazar area in West Tripura district", he claimed. When contacted, Amtali police station officer-in-charge Pranab Sengupta said an FIR had been received from Congress and another from ruling BJP party and both parties alleged that they had been attacked by each other.

He said, police force has been deployed near Das' house and investigation was on, but no one was arrested so far. AIG (law and order) Smriti Ranjan Das said, We have received complaints from both sides from different places of the state and are investigating the cases. We cannot arrest anyone without evidence". Sinha alleged that the policies adopted by the NDA government, mainly demonetisation and introduction of GST and false promises made by it had led to debacle.

BJP spokesperson Ashoke Sinha when contacted said, There is no plan or indulgence from our party to attack the opposition party workers. If any such stray incidents had happened is condemnable. "But I think something might have developed at the local level after the poll results of the five states were assembly polls were held were declared and there were altercations between supporters of both the parties".