Agartala CM accuses AR of being hand in gloves with extremists; action sought

Agartala: Congress legislature party (CLP) in Tripura has demanded action against Chief Minister Manik Sarkar for his speech on integrity of Assam Rifles in an election rally at Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (ADC) headquarters at Khumlung on April 11 last.
CLP leader Sudip Roy Barman asked both Central and state governments to lodge an FIR against Mr Sarkar for his speech accusing Assam Rifles of  working together with extremists in the state.
“I have personally spoken to Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju over the statement, besides sending the footage of Mr Sarkar’s speech to the President, Home Ministry, Defence Minister, PMO, and Assam Rifles, Barman said.
The Chief Minister had alleged during May 2000 ADC election that former DIG of Assam Rifles in Tripura B K Panwar had helped Congress and tribal based Indigenous Peoples Front of Tripura (IPFT) for whipping out Left front.”Panwar had mobilised banned militant outfit NLFT in the conspiracy. He also deployed Assam Rifles jawans in election duty to counter terror-tactics of the opposition, Mr Sarkar said in his speech.
“No responsible person can speak like Mr Sarkar without any basis. The record shows after 2000 ADC elections, in several occasion, the state government appreciated the role of Assam Rifles in counter insurgency operation and restoration of peace.
But nowhere in 15 years CPI-M or Tripura government lodged any complaint against the force, which is considered to be an anti-national statement,” Mr Barman argued.
Both CPI-M and the state government had lodged formal complaints against Assam Rifles in 2000.
CPI-M spokesperson Goutam Das claimed that after 2000 ADC election the matter was taken up by him with the then Central government for which he was transferred and was not given promotion afterwards.
“Mr Sarkar made the statement as CPI-M Politburo member, not as Chief Minster. Nothing is needed to prove.
Congress has always helped the anti-Indian forces in the past as well,” Mr Das added. (UNI)