Agartala, June 29 (PTI): Alleging that the BJP has let loose a reign of terror in Tripura, the opposition Left Front and the Congress said law and order has collapsed in the state, and workers of their parties have come under attack from the saffron camp activists on several occasions.
The BJP, on its part, rebuffed the claims, and said opposition parties were levelling baseless allegations in their attempts to win back supporters.
State Congress chief Pijush Biswas said his partymen have been stopped from distributing relief to people, who were finding it difficult to make ends meet amid the lockdown.
"BJP activists are attacking our workers across the state -- from Ranir Bazar, Teliamura in West Tripura district to Nalua in South Tripura. Several Congress workers were assaulted when they tried distributing essential items among people. The saffron party has let loose a reign of terror in the state," the Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president told reporters here on Monday.
He said that no police action was taken, even after complaints were lodged.
"In Nalua, our workers were attacked for organising a relief camp. The BJP activists, however, had to flee the scene, when local people protested. The police, instead of arresting the culprits involved in the attack, were busy retrieving the motorbikes which the attackers were forced to leave behind," the state Congress chief alleged.
He also claimed that none of the pre-poll promises made by the BJP in its ''Vision Document'', ahead of the election, has been implemented in the state so far.
"The state is currently under an undeclared emergency as people continue to be deprived of their legal, constitutional and human rights. The party is now managing to keep its flock together by unleashing terror, but this phase won''t last long and the BJP will pay a price," he said.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Left Front said there have been at least seven cases of murder, 16 of unnatural death, seven rapes, four thefts, among other crimes, since the beginning of the month.
The claim by state Education Minister Ratan Lal Nath on June 26 that "law and order situation in the state has improved" is bereft of truth, it said.
At least three attacks have been carried out on CPI(M) offices, and around 25 instances of assault on Left Front party workers have been recorded, besides multiple attacks on blood donation camps, and relief distribution programmes, the statement said.
"Even during a ceremony to pay homage to martyred Indian soldiers, the anti-social elements of the ruling party attacked our workers. If these incidents do not prove that the law and order situation in Tripura is at stake, then what will?" the statement added.
BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya, when contacted, said the allegations made by the opposition parties are false and baseless.
"All leaders and supporters of opposition camps have joined us, impressed by our good governance. Recently, the general secretary of the Congress, Sukhomoy Saha, has joined our party," he said.
Bhattacharya claimed that the government has implemented many of its poll promises over the past two years, and would fulfil the rest before the next elections.
He, however, admitted that political clashes had been happening in the state.
"No denying the fact that incidents of political clashes are happening in the state. The CPI-M workers are attacking BJP activists, because that has been its culture. We are trying hard to come out of this culture of political attacks," the BJP spokesperson added.
