News Analysis India

Tag: Trinamool

  • Dhankar cautions SEC against toeing Mamata government’s line on civic polls; Trinamool hits back

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Tuesday cautioned State Election Commissioner Saurav Das against toeing the line of the state government on holding elections to Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC) and other civic bodies separately, describing this as an “outrage of Constitution”.

    The ruling Trinamool Congress was quick to hit back, accusing Dhankhar of crossing his constitutional limits.

    The West Bengal government has proposed to the SEC that elections to municipal corporations of Kolkata and Howrah be held first and those to the around 100 other municipal bodies where polls are pending be taken up later.

    SEC officials recently indicated that they have accepted the proposal.

    The notification in this regard is yet to be issued.

    “Cautioned Shri Saurav Das that SEC toeing line of State Government and be merely its executing agency, would be an outrage of Constitution as also unwholesome for democratic process,” the governor tweeted.

    Dhankhar, in a letter to Das, said he had received numerous inputs that the SEC is abdicating its constitutional mandate and authority and toeing the line of the state government.

    “(The SEC is) in effect executing the directions of the state government in the matter of holding upcoming elections to the municipalities in the state,” he wrote in the letter, a copy of which he attached to his tweet.

    He said Article 243ZA of the Constitution in categorical terms invests the SEC with “the superintendence, direction and control of the preparation of electoral rolls for, and the conduct of, all elections to the municipalities.”

    This constitutional mandate for the SEC can in no manner be qualified or diluted by any law by state as, in terms of Article 243ZA(2), such law has to be subject to the provisions of the Constitution, the governor said.

    Maintaining that the SEC had mooted the idea of simultaneous elections to all the municipalities earlier, Dhankhar said overwhelming political inputs are for the same.

    “It is imperative at your end to ensure that constitutional mandate is regarded both in letter and spirit, and am sure you will bear this in mind,” the governor told Das in the letter.

    He wrote that the SEC is expected to act independently of the government.

    “Further, it is trite legal proposition that provisions of an enactment cannot override, in any manner whatsoever, the stipulations in the Constitution. The supremacy of the constitutional prescription is non-negotiable,” Dhankhar said.

    Dhankhar’s letter drew a sharp reaction from the ruling TMC, which accused the Governor of crossing his constitutional limits.

    “The state government has every right to send a proposal. The governor is interfering with the administrative and constitutional rights of the state government,” senior TMC leader and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Partha Chatterjee said.

    Dhankar’s views were, however, echoed by the opposition BJP, Congress and the CPI(M)-led Left Front.

    “We want that elections to all the municipalities are held together. The state government since 2019 has been delaying the elections for their political interests. Later, they blamed it on the COVID pandemic,” state BJP vice-president Pratap Banerjee said.

    The BJP has moved the Calcutta High Court seeking that poll to all municipal bodies where it is due be held together on a single day.

    The case is pending.

    The opposition Congress and the Left Front, which doesn’t have any representation in the state assembly, accused the state government of delaying the civic elections for political reasons.

    “The state government has no proper explanation on why it is delaying the elections to other municipal bodies. They (TMC) are delaying the polls in areas where they are not on the strong ground politically,” senior CPI(M) leader Sujan Chakraborty said.

    The proposed date for the elections to KMC, as well as Howrah Municipal Corporation, is December 19.

    The elections to KMC, along with 112 other municipalities and municipal corporations, were due in April-May 2020.

    But the polls were postponed due to the raging COVID pandemic.

    The civic bodies where elections are due are being run by state-appointed Board of Administrators.

  • Two Tripura BJP MLAs criticise state government over recent political violence

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: Days ahead of municipal body elections in Tripura, two rebel MLAs of the ruling BJP in the state on Tuesday alleged that the recent political violence in Tripura has tarnished the reputation of the party and Prime Minister Narendra Modi which might influence the saffron party’s poll prospects in the assembly elections in five states.

    The MLAs, Sudip Roy Burman and Asish Saha, told a press conference here that the country’s apex court, Tripura High Court, and even Union Home Minister Amit Shah had to intervene in the recent political violence ahead of the civic polls.

    A Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader from West Bengal was arrested before being later released on bail on Monday, while TMC workers were roughed up by ‘unknown assailants’.

    On November 11, the top court had directed the Tripura government to ensure that no political party including TMC in the fray for local body polls of the state, is prevented from pursuing electoral rights in accordance with law and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner.

    It had issued notice to the state government on the plea by TMC and its Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev seeking security for the party workers and representatives alleging wide-scale violence against them.

    A delegation of TMC MPs had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday alleging police violence in Tripura.

    The legislators who were sitting on a dharna outside the Ministry of Home Affairs since Monday morning were given an appointment to meet Shah in the afternoon.

    “We told him in detail how leaders were being arrested and MPs being beaten up. He told us that he had spoken to the Tripura CM on phone yesterday and assured us that he would a report from the state,” party MP Kalyan Banerjee had said.

    “As the recent violence would harm the interest of the party, we have informed all these matters to party’s national president J.P. Nadda, national general secretary (Organisation) B.L. Santhosh, and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday,” Burman said. In an oblique reference to Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb as a “paratrooper leader”, they held him responsible for ‘all ills’.

    “Our mantra is ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas’, but the paratrooper leader did not cooperate with all. Common people are our main force in a democratic state.”

    “We do not understand why there is so much violence to win the civic body elections? If the BJP had done so much development during its 44 months tenure, then why so much violence to win the elections?” they asked.

    Burman, a former Health Minister of the state who was dropped from the cabinet for alleged ‘anti-party’ activity before the last Lok Sabha elections, said that earlier many chief ministers were at the helm, but the incumbent chief minister is an “exception”, who does not follow any ‘political grammar’.

    “Our chief minister, who is also the home minister of the state, has not given any statement regarding the recent series of political violence. Police worked as silent spectators. The criminals from opposition CPI-M, who entered the party were used for narrow political ends”, the duo said.

    Burman has also recently written to the Director General of Police, V S Yadav to declare some areas as vulnerable and provide adequate security for the peaceful conduct of elections.

    Upbeat over its impressive performance in the West Bengal Assembly polls, the TMC had announced that it would expand its footprint and enter national politics ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

    The party had been trying to gain its foothold in Tripura, where state elections are scheduled to be held in the first half of 2023.

    Incidents of political violence have increased in the run-up to the elections to the Agartala Municipal Corporation and 12 other municipal bodies on Thursday.

    TMC youth leader Saayoni Ghosh, who was arrested on charges of criminal intimidation and attempt to murder, was on Monday granted bail by the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate in West Tripura district.

    Ghosh was told to furnish a bail bond of RS 20,000.

    The West Bengal Trinamool Youth Congress president was on Sunday arrested on charges of criminal intimidation, attempt to murder, and promotion of disharmony between groups after she raised the party’s ‘khela hobe’ (game to be played).

    The TMC leadership claimed several party activists came under attack when they had gathered outside the police station, where Ghosh was taken to after arrest.

    In August, a group of five MLAs, including Burman, Saha, Burbamohan Tripura, Dibachandra Hrankhawl, and Asish Das organised a meeting to put forward some suggestions to the party’s central leadership for ‘rectification of the party’.

    Later many central leaders, including party’s North East Zonal Secretary (Organisation), Ajay Jamwal had rushed to Tripura to review the situation.

    BJP MLA Asish Das, who is close to Burman, had on October 31 joined the Trinamool Congress by taking the party flag from AITC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee at a public meeting here.

    A highly placed source in the BJP said, “The rebel MLAs including Burman, Saha, and others are keeping a close link with TMC and they are working to harm the political prospect of our party”.

    Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Devendra Fadnavis on Tuesday slammed the entry of the Trinamool Congress into Goa politics and alleged critics of the West Bengal government are beheaded and corpses hung along the streets.

    Fadnavis, the BJP’s Goa election in charge, was addressing party workers here during his two-day trip.

    Goa is scheduled to have Assembly polls in early 2022 and the Mamata Banerjee-led party and the Aam Aadmi Party are in the fray along with main competitors BJP and Congress.

    ‘If you speak against the (WB) state government, they behead you, or cut your hands or legs. People are hung on the streets, this is the state of democracy under the rule of the Trinamool Congress there. The TMC is trying to bring this autocratic behaviour to Goa. The people of Goa should be aware of such parties,” Fadnavis said.

    Goa has its own culture and the BJP had given a stable and progressive government here for the past 10 years, with infrastructure growth being among the biggest achievements, the former Maharashtra chief minister said.

  • Opposition wants immediate polling in Bengal civic bodies; Trinamool wants phased elections

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: All opposition political parties on Monday demanded immediate polling at all municipalities and municipal corporations in Bengal at a meeting with the state election commission officials, while the Trinamool Congress sought a phased poll keeping in view the vaccination rate in various cities and towns.

    At the meeting the opposition parties including the BJP, CPI(M) alleged that the state government’s desire to phase out polling “was an excuse” as most of the boards had finished their tenure long before the pandemic had started, officials, who did not wish to be named as they were not authorised to speak, said.

    Trinamool Congress’s Tapas Roy, however, rubbished claims of the opposition and said the state government had decided to abide by Covid-19 safety protocols and “there was no other motive behind this”, the source said.

    Roy had claimed that in Kolkata, 75 percent of the second dose vaccination has been completed while in Howrah, 55 percent people have been fully vaccinated, leading to the state government seeking to have polling for these “two municipalities in the first round”.

    Roy was accompanied by his party colleague Debashish Kumar in the meeting.

    BJP MP Arjun Singh, CPI(M)’s veteran leader Rabin Deb as well as leaders of the CPI, Congress and Forward Bloc attended Monday’s all-party meeting, sources elaborated.

    “There was no discussion on law and order, security, and about the deployment of security forces during today’s meeting, There were discussions on how the elections will be held amid this ongoing pandemic,” the official said.

  • Trinamool known for anarchy, ‘khela hobe’ slogan aims at creating lawlessness: BJP leader

    Locket Chatterjee alleged that the 'khela hobe' slogan in reality means killing the workers of other political parties and misbehaving with women.

  • BJP trying to throttle democracy in Tripura, will put an end to misrule: Abhishek Banerjee

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday claimed that the ruling BJP in Tripura was trying to “throttle” the voice of its opposition leaders as the party has no regard for democratic values.

    He arrived here on Monday morning, a day after the party’s youth leader, Saayoni Ghosh, was arrested for allegedly disrupting a meeting that was being held by Chief Minister Biplab Deb.

    Banerjee’s scheduled rally in the state was, however, cancelled as the police denied permission, citing “law and order problems and political tension”.

    Addressing a press conference, the senior TMC leader asserted that the TMC will defeat the BJP and put an end to the saffron camp’s “misrule” in the next assembly elections.

    “The BJP in Tripura is making a mockery of democracy. Now that we have entered the state, we will ensure BJP’s defeat. The reasons shown by the police to cancel my rally proves that there exists no rule of law in the state,” he told a press conference.

    Hitting out at the administration in Tripura over Ghosh’s arrest, Banerjee said the TMC youth leader was held on charges of criminal intimidation and attempt to murder, but it was “unclear who did she try to intimidate or kill”.

    “Biplab Deb is so scared that he tried to falsely implicate a woman. Police could not give a reply when asked who Sayoni attempted to intimidate or kill,” he quipped.

    “You are chanting the slogan — ‘Bharat mata ki jai’ — and then attacking our women candidates. There is a deliberate attempt to throttle the voice of opposition parties,” he stated.

    Ghosh was on Monday granted bail by the court of Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM), West Tripura district.

    She was arrested after raising ‘khela hobe’ (game will be played) slogan on Sunday to allegedly “disrupt” a street-corner meeting being held by Chief Minister Biplab Deb.

    Some people accompanying her had apparently hurled stones at those attending the meet, according to police sources.

    Several TMC supporters who had gathered outside the police station, where Ghosh was taken to after arrest, also reportedly came under attack on Sunday.

    Dubbing the “double engine government” as the “government of double thief”, Banerjee said, “The way the BJP goons attacked our supporters and activists at a police station only go on to show that a jungle rule prevails in the state. The ruling BJP in Tripura is using its police for narrow political gains, but this would not last long. We will fight them. The government led by Biplab Deb will not be able to silence the TMC.”

    He alleged that the Biplab Deb government has defied a Supreme Court order that asked Tripura to ensure free and fair local elections in the state.

    “This government has no respect for the judiciarya nd do not care for Supreme Court or high court orders. Nobody is secure in the state. Lawyers are not safe in court, doctors are not safe in hospital, and patients are also being attacked,” he said.

    The Supreme Court has recently asked the Tripura government to ensure that no political party in the fray for the coming local body elections “is prevented from pursuing its electoral rights in accordance with law and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner”.

    Earlier in the day, shortly before Banerjee’s arrival here, an unattended bag at the Agartala airport had triggered a bomb scare.

    The bag was later moved to a cooling pit, with Bomb Threat Assessment Committee having declared it as a “non-specific threat”.

  • SC rues practice of delay by Speakers in deciding disqualification pleas

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Monday rued the “general practice” of Speakers delaying decisions on pleas seeking disqualification of lawmakers and the subsequent arguments that courts should “stay away”, while hoping that the West Bengal Assembly Speaker would decide on such a plea against Mukul Roy who defected to TMC from BJP after the state polls.

    The apex court’s observations came while hearing two separate appeals filed by West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee and its Secretary and the Returning Officer against the Calcutta High Court’s order.

    The high court asked Banerjee to take a decision on the petition for disqualification of Roy as a member of the House by October 7.

    A bench comprising Justices L Nageswara Rao and Hima Kohli on Monday expressed hope that the Speaker will take a decision on the disqualification plea against Roy on the claim that he has defected to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) after being elected on a BJP ticket and fixed the pleas for hearing in January next year.

    “There is a general practice of speakers delaying the hearing and decisions on disqualification petitions under the Tenth Schedule of the constitution, there are so many cases where there is a delay by the Speaker. But, we are told that you stay away and let the Speaker decide,” the bench said.

    Senior advocate A M Singhvi, appearing for Banerjee, said the courts need to interfere in cases where there are “egregious delays” but the instant case does not warrant such an interference as several adjournments have been sought by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari in the matter.

    Singhvi referred to another case in which a plea was moved by DMK seeking a direction to then Tamil Nadu Speaker to decide the plea for disqualification of 11 AIADMK lawmakers who had voted against the then Chief Minister K Palaniswami during the 2017 confidence vote.

    The term of the Assembly expired but the issue could not be decided, he said.

    The apex court, which did not issue notice on the appeals, took note of Singhvi’s submissions that the disqualification plea is scheduled for hearing on December 21 before the Speaker.

    “The petition for disqualification filed under the Tenth Schedule of the Constitution is now listed on December 21. We hope the Speaker proceeds with the hearing of the matter and decide the matter in accordance with law,” the bench said and fixed the case for hearing in January next year.

    Adhikari, leader of the Opposition, on June 17 had filed the petition before the Speaker seeking Roy’s disqualification.

    Ambika Roy, BJP MLA of the state, had moved the high court in July challenging Roy’s election as chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and prayed for nomination of an opposition member to the post as per tradition.

    At the outset, Singhvi assailed the high court’s decision saying that it did not leave anything to be decided by the Speaker who is supposed to hear both the sides and moreover, the courts cannot “micro-manage the calendar of the speaker”.

    “If we were to micro-manage by now there would be an order. We are just trying to cull out of you the status of proceedings,” the bench said.

    Singhvi said the high court adjourned the hearing on October 7 after being apprised that an appeal has been filed in the apex court.

    Singhvi said the high court has already held that the appointment of Roy as head of the PAC was part of the assembly proceedings.

    “Good, bad or indifferent, the Speaker is the persona designata,” he argued.

    But there should not be a delay in deciding such a plea, the bench said.

    Earlier, the high court had said in its order that the issue pertaining to disqualification of Roy as a member of the Assembly is correlated with him being the chairman of the PAC.

    It had said a petition filed for Roy’s disqualification is pending before the Speaker for more than three months, the maximum period fixed in a judgement of the Supreme Court, for decision thereof.

    “Before we proceed further in the matter let the respondent No.1 (the Speaker) place before us the order passed in the petition filed for disqualification of respondent No.2 (Mukul Roy) as Member of the Legislative Assembly,” the high court had said in its order.

    The bench adjourned the matter to October 7 for further hearing, stating, “In case of failure this Court will decide further course of action to be taken in the matter.”

    However, the counsel for the Speaker, on October 7, told the high court that an appeal has been filed in the apex court against its direction leading to the adjournment of the proceedings.

  • Trinamool brings its fight against BJP to Delhi; party MPs meet Amit Shah

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI/AGARTALA: Days ahead of the Winter Session of Parliament, the TMC has brought to Delhi its fight against the BJP in Tripura, with its MPs meeting Home Minister Amit Shah after sitting on a dharna outside the Ministry of Home Affairs for hours.

    TMC legislators Sukhendu Sekhar Ray, Santanu Sen, Kalyan Banerjee, Derek O’Brien, Mala Roy and 11 other MPs were part of the delegation that met Shah.

    “We told him in detail how leaders were being arrested and MPs being beaten up. He told us that he had spoken to the Tripura CM on phone yesterday and assured us he would seek a report from the state,” TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee said.

    The issue of violence against party leaders would be top priority for West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee who is scheduled to land in Delhi at 8 pm and is expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

    The four-hour-long protest in front of the MHA saw both TMC legislators, from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, raising slogans against the home minister and the prime minister over their silence on the violence in the northeastern state.

    “We want the home minister to listen to us. Both Shah and Modi need to answer for the violence that is happening in Tripura,” TMC leader Sukhendu Sekhar Ray said.

    Another party MP Saugata Ray said the protests were also against the arrest of TMC youth leader Sayani Ghosh in Tripura.

    The Tripura Police on Sunday arrested actor-turned party leader Sayani Ghosh on charges of attempt to murder after she allegedly disrupted a meeting of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb by shouting “Khela hobe” (we will play) on Saturday night.

    Ghosh was arrested after being called in for questioning in a police station in Agartala, a police official had said.

    TMC MP Dola Sen said the party had sought an appointment with the home minister 24 hours in advance and after sitting on a dharna for six hours they were invited to meet Shah.

    “We primarily had three things to tell him, that the Supreme Court’s order instructing the state government to allow all opposition parties to campaign in a peaceful and orderly manner hasn’t been given to us. Second, we requested him to look in the Sayani Ghosh case, and of course we raised the issue of brutality against party leaders,” she said.

    Sen said that Shah told them that he would try to look into it.

    “After 30 hours, this is progress,” she added.

    Banerjee said that she will raise issues concerning the enhancement of BSF jurisdiction as well as the “widespread violence” in Tripura with the PM during her visit to the national capital.

    Talking to reporters before leaving for Delhi, she wondered why the human rights commission was “not taking a note” of the ongoing use of brute force in the northeastern state.

    “The chief minister of Tripura (Biplab Deb) and his government are defying the SC’s directive. They have to reply to common people. I will appeal to the higher judiciary to act against his government as per law,” she said.

    Earlier, the Supreme Court had asked the Tripura government to ensure that no political party in the fray for the coming local body elections “is prevented from pursuing its electoral rights in accordance with law, and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner”.

    On Monday, the apex court agreed to hear on November 23 the TMC’s plea seeking contempt action against the Tripura government and others for failing to curtail violent incidents against opposition parties in the run up to the local body polls.

    Meanwhile, amid his party MPs’ attack on the government in Delhi over the violence in Tripura, TMC general secretary Abhishek Banerjee arrived in the state to take part in a campaign for civic elections.

    Here too, he lashed out at the BJP government on the issue.

    “The way the BJP goons attacked our supporters and activists at a police station only proves that a jungle rule is prevailing in the state. The ruling BJP in Tripura is using its police for narrow political gains, but this will not last long. We will fight them. The government led by Biplab Deb will not be able to silence the TMC,” the party general secretary told reporters in Agartala.

  • ‘Fascist terror of BJP’: CPM slams Tripura government over Trinamool leader’s arrest

    By PTI

    AGARTALA: The CPI(M) on Sunday condemned the arrest of Trinamool Congress leader Saayoni Ghosh and the alleged attack on TMC members outside a police station in Tripura.

    In a statement, the CPI(M) said that as the date for the civic body polls is drawing near, the “fascist terror” of the BJP is increasing.

    “Leaders and candidates of all parties, including the Left parties, were attacked several times and despite complaints, police did not arrest the culprits. Police are playing the role of silent spectators,” the statement, issued by the CPI(M) state secretariat, said.

    The CPI(M) vehemently condemns the incident, it added.

    The CPI(M) and TMC are arch-rivals in West Bengal where Mamata Banerjee came to power in 2011, ending 34 years of Left rule.

    Tripura Police arrested Ghosh on charges of attempt to murder after she allegedly disrupted a meeting of Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, shouting “Khela hobe” on Saturday night.

    TMC leaders also alleged that their workers were roughed up by BJP supporters outside the East Agartala Women’s police station, a charge denied by the ruling party.

  • Teachers’ body members who consumed ‘poison’ against Mamata government join Trinamool

    By PTI

    KOLKATA: Members of a contractual teachers’ association, including five women who had allegedly consumed poison during a demonstration to protest against their transfers by the West Bengal government, joined the ruling Trinamool Congress on Sunday.

    Several members of Sikshak Aikya Mukta Mancha (Teachers’ Unity Open Forum) were welcomed to the party by state Education Minister Bratya Basu at a programme in South 24 Parganas’ Diamond Harbour.

    Five contractual teachers of the forum had in August allegedly consumed poison while demonstrating before the state education department headquarters in Salt Lake, protesting against their transfers by the government to far-off districts.

    They had then alleged that the transfers were linked to their participation in earlier agitations over their demands, including an increase in monthly emoluments.

    Several members of the association had earlier held protests at various places including in front of ministers’ residences and even wading a canal behind Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Kalighat home with placards.

    Leader of the organisation, Moidul Islam, against whom the police had slapped a case of incitement to commit suicide, said the state government has assured that it will look into their demands sympathetically.

    “We find the Centre’s education policy is more against the interests of teachers and so we have decided to join the Trinamool Congress to fight against it,” he said.

  • Trinamool to reach Delhi on Sunday night to meet Shah on alleged police brutality in Tripura

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: A delegation of TMC MPs will reach Delhi on Sunday night to meet Home Minister Amit Shah on the issue of alleged police brutality in Tripura, party sources said.

    The party has sought an appointment with Shah and the party leaders are scheduled to sit on a dharna from Monday morning.

    “Gujarat model in Tripura. All India Trinamool Congress will never accept such fascist brutality. Trinamool MPs headed to Delhi. Now. Eyeball to eyeball,” tweeted party MP Derek O’ Brien.

    The sources said the party delegation comprised of more than 15 members.

    The development comes amid Tripura police on Sunday arresting Trinamool leader Sayani Ghosh, who allegedly threatened Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb during a meeting here on Saturday night, on the charge of attempting to murder, a police official said.

    Ghosh, the youth unit secretary of TMC West Bengal, was arrested after being called in for questioning in a police station in the state capital Agartala.

    The development took place a day before a planned visit by the TMC’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee to the North-eastern state.

    Sub-divisional Police Officer (Sadar) Ramesh Yadav said Ghosh was arrested under IPC Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 153A (promoting disharmony between two groups) for her comments against the chief minister.

    Yadav said some persons who were with her allegedly threw stones at a street corner meeting which was being addressed by the chief minister.

    A police official, who did not want to be named, said a BJP worker lodged a complaint alleging that Ghosh had reached the spot where the meeting was being held and shouted “Khela hobey” (game will happen) and claimed that there were not even 50 people in the gathering.

    “Khela hobey” is a slogan used by the TMC during the assembly election in West Bengal held in March-April this year.

    Ghosh was earlier detained for questioning in a police station and arrested later.

    TMC leaders alleged that their workers were also roughed up by BJP supporters outside the East Agartala Women’s police station, a charge denied by the saffron party.

    Abhishek Banerjee in a tweet accused the BJP government in the North-eastern state of disregarding Supreme Court orders on the rights of political parties to hold peaceful programmes.

    “@BjpBiplab has become so UNABASHEDLY BRAZEN that now even SUPREME COURT ORDERS DOESN’T SEEM TO BOTHER HIM.”

    “He has repeatedly sent goons to attack our supporters & our female candidates instead of ensuring their safety! DEMOCRACY BEING MOCKED under @BJP4Tripura,” Banerjee said in the Twitter post, attaching a video of the alleged attack of Sunday morning.

    The Supreme Court recently directed Tripura police to ensure that no political party is prevented from exercising their rights in accordance with the law for campaigning in a peaceful manner.

    Police said some unidentified miscreants attacked a group of people who gathered near the police station during the questioning of Ghosh, but no one was injured.

    The TMC is contesting the Tripura civic polls to be held on November 25.

    The ruling BJP has already won 112 out of 334 seats uncontested across 20 urban local bodies including Agartala Municipal Corporation.

    This will be the first civic election that the BJP will face after coming to power in 2018.

    The Mamata Banerjee-led party is trying to gain a foothold in the state ahead of the 2023 assembly elections.

    TMC Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev claimed that BJP sheltered goons attacked the leaders and workers of the party on the premises of the police station after Ghosh reached there.

    “Our candidates were beaten up; their houses vandalized and though complaints were filed, no action was taken. Police here are acting in a one-sided manner,” she told reports.

    The TMC has repeatedly alleged that its candidates were being prevented from campaigning by the ruling BJP supporters there.

    TMC West Bengal secretary Kunal Ghosh said if this is what is democracy in Tripura, “we would recommend to our leaders to do the same thing (to the BJP) in West Bengal”.

    Tripura BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharya denied the allegation, saying the saffron party workers did not ever attack anyone of the TMC as the party does not consider it as a political opponent to reckon with.

    The alleged attack created ripples in West Bengal where the TMC and the BJP were engaged in a war of words.

    BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar claimed that the TMC is unable to even field candidates in seats for the local body elections in Tripura.

    “They (TMC) have to take busloads of people from West Bengal to secure attendance of 500 people in Abhishek Banerjee’s public meetings. There will be no impact of meetings by Abhishek Banerjee or Mamata Banerjee,” Majumdar said.

    He claimed that the only opponent of the BJP in Tripura can be the CPI(M) and not the TMC.

    TMC leader and senior minister Firhad Hakim claimed that that the BJP was indulging in violence in Tripura.

    “But we will follow the democratic path and win Tripura. Democracy does exist in BJP-ruled states,” he said.