Tripura BJP leaders face public anger; police fire tear gas

Tripura tribal welfare minister and BJP leader Ram Pada Jamatia was at the receiving end of public anger while attending an administrative camp in the West Tripura district on Friday, reports East Mojo.
This is the third time in a row that Jamatia has faced public protests during his course of attending a government programme. Earlier, Jamatia’s vehicle was attacked at Jampuijala on Thursday and on Wednesday, protests broke out at Taidu during a joining programme.
Speaking on the issue, SDPO Mohanpur Kamal Bikash Majumder said, “There was an administrative camp organized at Daragabari school of Shimna. Tribal Welfare Minister Ram Pada Jamatia and local BJP leader Mangal Debbarma were supposed to attend the event. But suddenly, several women protestors gathered at the spot and indulged in sloganeering against the minister. Sensing trouble, the security arrangements had already been tightened, and the leaders were safely evacuated from the area.”
Later, he said, to disperse the crowd, tear gas shells were fired, and a large contingent of the TSR and Police forces was deployed to take control of the situation. One cop sustained minor injuries during the scuffle with local women.
“Ten people had been taken under police custody as preventive arrest. Three people were injured in the scuffle broke out between police and protestors including a police constable. A suo moto case is being lodged with the local police station,” SDPO Majumder told EastMojo over the phone.
According to the protesting women, the BJP leaders had turned the administrative camp into a political show. “The administrative camp was organised without any prior announcement in the locality. And why are political leaders invited to an administrative camp? It was almost clear that it was a political programme wrapped in the cover of a government function. Otherwise, people would have been informed”, a local woman protesting there told reporters.
Speaking on the issue, Mangal Debbarma, BJP Janajati Morcha vice president and chairman, Tribal Boarding House, Mohanpur subdivision, said, “The programme was being held very smoothly. When our minister was addressing the administrative camp as the chief guest, miscreants backed by TIPRA motha started hurling stones at the vehicles stationed at the school field. Several people received injuries on their head, chest, legs and back. Two glasses of my car were vandalised, and the minister’s vehicle was also partly damaged. This is unacceptable.”
Debbarma added, “The way TIPRA supporters have started creating an atmosphere of terror in the hilly areas, it seems that other political parties do not have any rights to do politics. All the other officials came out of the venue in tight police security.”
One person sustained serious injuries, and was referred to GBP hospital, Debbarma told EastMojo.
Later, TIPRA MDC Rabindra Debbarma and MLA Brishaketu Debbarma held protests in Khowai Chowmuhani and Hejamara condemning the alleged police brutality on women.