From Our Correspondent
AGARTALA: Normal life in Tripura will come to a standstill with ruling Left Front and opposition Congress calling a 12-hour statewide bandh on Wednesday.
While opposition Congress has called the bandh in protest against the atrocities of police and security forces on Congress leaders, supporters and media persons for the past 48 hours, the ruling has urged the people to observe bandh to protest the hooliganism of Congress leaders and supporters.
Addressing a press conference at Congress Bhavan here Tuesday, PCC spokesman Ratan Chakraborty vehemently condemned the police and TSR brutality on the silent procession in front the Party Headquarters Monday evening. An innocent shop keeper was killed and nine party workers injured during the hour-long shot out in the heart of the city. Besides, twenty five party leaders and activists also suffered injuries in a series of clashes between security personnel and Congress activists.
The trouble started centering the Common Entrance Test (CET) for admission in Tripura Medical College (TMC) when police had resorted to lathi charge on Congress workers on Sunday evening.
Picking holes in the indiscriminate firing on Congress leaders and workers, Chakraborty said that the police had committed a serious crime by defying the guidelines before resorting fire on agitators.
To ventilate the sentiments of the people following last two-day’ incidents, Congress has decided to observe 12-hour statewide bandh on Wednesday. “We have already informed the central leadership about the happenings in Agartala”, he said adding that a party delegation would soon meet Governor Dr. DY Patil demanding dismissal of the Left Front government.
Meanwhile, CPM state secretary Bijan Dhar on Wednesday blamed the opposition for creating lawlessness in the capital town. “The Congress which has been trying to capture the power through backdoor, will not success in their hidden political agenda as people will resist them”, he said.
“The CPM led Left Front will observe a 12-hour Tripura bandh on Wednesday in protest against the political ploy of the Congress”, added he.