Press Release
On Tripura Situation
The outlawed National Liberation Front of Tripura (NLFT) has sharply escalated violent murderous attacks against CPI(M) cadres, supporters and sympathisers in the run-up to the assembly elections in Tripura.
Since the declaration of elections on January 11, many such attacks have taken place in Tripura. The details of fourteen incidents are being enclosed.
On January 14, two CPI(M) cadres, Chandramani Debbarma and Ramesh Debbarma, were kidnapped from village Champlai in Khowai sub-division, west Tripura. The police discovered the bodies of these two hostages on January 19. This discovery revealed the inhuman torture inflicted upon the hostages before their death. The eyes of both had been gouged out. The bodies bore innumerable marks of hacking with sharp weapons alongside bullet marks. The ears were stapled and their heads were shaved before killing them. Besides, the name of the associate extremist organisation, "BNCT" was cut into their backs with sharp weapons.
Clearly, the NLFT, enjoying the patronage of the Congress-Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT) alliance, has embarked on such a course to terrorise the people and forcing them to vote for the Congress-led alliance. It is well-known that the INPT is the political wing of the NLFT. Any alliance with the INPT, therefore, constitutes a direct collaboration with the outlawed and banned extremist NLFT. The Congress has precisely indulged in such a direct collusion with this extremist organisation that seeks to dismember our country. The Congress has, once again, shown that it places its narrow electoral interests above the interests of the unity and integrity of India. This is a dangerous game that further entrenches the activities of anti-national terrorist forces in the North-East.
The Congress’s claim that it has forged an alliance only with the INPT and not with the NLFT is specious, to say the least. Making a mockery of this claim, the NLFT has been campaigning, particularly in the tribal belt, in favour of the Congress-INPT alliance and "ordering" people to vote for this combine. Such "orders" are accompanied by blatant threats to their lives.
The campaign launched by the CPI(M)-led Left Front has evoked tremendous response and enthusiasm among the people. This was evident in the massive rallies of youth and women that were held all over Tripura after the declaration of the elections. While reiterating the need to further strengthen harmony and coexistence between the tribals and the non-tribals — a unity which was assiduously built by the CPI(M) over the years — the people are seeking normalcy and respite from terrorist attacks in order to advance the tasks of economic development and betterment of their livelihood. The people of Tripura, therefore, will give a befitting reply to the Congress-INPT combine backed by the outlawed NLFT in the forthcoming polls.