The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has issued the following statement:
The Polit Bureau of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly condemns the spate of violent attacks that have been unleashed by the ruling BJP in the run up to the three-tier panchayat elections in Tripura to be held on August 8, 2024.
Ever since the announcement of the date of the elections to the local bodies, the CPI(M) and opposition candidates and their supporters have been under relentless attacks by goons owing allegiance to the ruling party.
Candidates of the CPI(M) have been forcibly prevented from filing their nominations by resorting to savage assaults against them and their supporters. In one such incident on July 13 Badal Shil a CPI(M) candidate for the South Tripura Zilla Parishad was killed by BJP goondas. Scores of leaders and workers of the Party have been injured and hospitalised consequent to these brutal attacks. Opposition leaders were forcibly prevented from participating in all-party meetings called by election officials at various places; BJP leaders have threatened to kill any opposition candidate trying to submit nomination; vehicles carrying opposition leaders have been attacked in the presence of police personnel; prominent leaders of the Party have been waylaid and attacked in several places. Several incidents of stone pelting on CPI(M) processions and hurling of bombs on the residences of CPI(M) leaders have been reported from the state.
Ever since the BJP won the elections to the state assembly it has single-mindedly pursued its agenda of annihilating the opposition in the state. In these murderous attacks launched since 2018, 30 members and workers or the Party have been killed.
These intimidatory tactics have led to the creation of an atmosphere of terror in the entire state casting aspersions on the free and fair conduct of the elections.
The Polit Bureau demands that adequate measures be taken to ensure that all candidates are able to file nominations and the elections are held in a free and fair manner.