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United News of India
11 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
Congress to launch statewide agitation against ECI from Aug 22 in Tripura
Agartala, Aug 19 (UNI) Tripura Pradesh Congress announced a statewide agitation from August 22 to September 6 against the alleged large-scale vote theft and manipulation of the electoral process. The state Congress President Ashish Kumar Saha accused Election Commission of India (ECI) of colluding with the BJP-led government to curtail the constitutional rights of citizens, and said, 'The most surprising thing is that ECI has joined hands with the government in a conspiracy to deprive people of their voting rights.' Saha said that Congress was staging protests across the country against this trend. As part of the nationwide programme, the Tripura unit will launch an intensive study of the voter list alongside a series of protests. The agitation will begin in Udaipur on August 22, followed by district-level activities across all districts of the state. The state-wide procession will be held in Agartala on August 30, where Congress leaders, workers, and supporters from across Tripura will take part. The movement will culminate in Kailashahar on September 6. The Congress chief also reiterated Rahul Gandhi's allegation that since 2014, the Narendra Modi-led BJP government has been 'misusing administrative machinery, money, and muscle power to capture state elections.' He claimed that the ruling party has now turned the Election Commission into a 'puppet and branch organisation' to manipulate votes. Saha further warned that no genuine voter in Tripura should be wrongfully identified as a foreign national during the electoral process. UNI BB ARN


Indian Express
30-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tripura CM Manik Saha announces special task force on law and order; Congress demands his resignation
Soon after Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha, who also holds the home portfolio, announced a special task force (STF) to deal with drug smuggling, cross-border crimes, and other law and order issues, the Opposition Congress on Wednesday demanded his resignation. 'The current law and order situation of the state is a matter of concern. Different crimes like rape, murder, anti-social activities, and drug trade are happening here frequently. We have been demanding that the Government and the police department take necessary action. The CM has formed a special task force. We will see how they approach the issues,' said Congress president Asish Kumar Saha. Ashish Kumar Saha alleged that Opposition legislators, activists, police, and journalists were attacked in different places under the BJP rule. He also referred to the attack by alleged TIPRA Motha activists on a group of BJP supporters who were listening to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat radio address at Asharambari in Khowai district on July 27. The Congress leader also condemned an attack on a newly inaugurated office of his party at Harina in Sabroom of South Tripura district on Tuesday night. 'The miscreants set fire to our party campaign and other materials inside the party office. A complaint was filed at the Manu police station demanding the arrest of those involved in the incident,' he said. 'We will hold our party programmes. If we are not allowed, we will protest. Law and order has deteriorated. If the home minister cannot maintain law and order, we demand his resignation,' the Congress state chief said. Ashish Kumar Saha further stated that a door-to-door campaign held by the Congress had covered nearly 1.5 lakh houses in the state and found that the people had lost their faith in the BJP-led Government.


Indian Express
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Congress youth leader's house attacked after he criticises Tripura Govt, police for alleged inaction against clashes on Bakrid
Tripura Congress youth leader Shahjahan Miah's house in Agartala was attacked late Sunday after he criticised the state government and police for their alleged silence over a few incidents centring on alleged cow slaughter on Eid-al-Adha or Bakrid in the Gomati district Saturday. In a video on his social media page, Miah could be heard lashing out at the Tripura Government and the police for purportedly failing to stand up to those who allegedly interrupted the customary animal slaughter on Bakrid. He was also heard insulting Chief Minister Manik Saha, and calling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minority leaders 'cheats', and urging Muslims to 'socially boycott' those from the community who are serving as leaders in the saffron party. His comments sparked controversy online, and several netizens, including BJP activists, demanded action against the Congress leader. The ruling BJP filed a complaint late Sunday at the East Agartala Police Station against Miah. After Miah's house in the Shantipara area of Agartala was attacked, the police soon rushed to the spot and tried to bring the situation under control. In his statement to the police, Miah said he was attacked by a band of goons as soon as he returned home from the Congress office. He also alleged that the attackers, who were purportedly brandishing firearms, wanted to kill him, but he locked himself inside a room. He said the group later assaulted his parents and wife. Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and MLA Sudip Roy Barman, Tripura state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha, and others visited his house later. Roy Barman condemned the attack on Miah's house, and said he would seek justice from the court. 'He (Shahjahan) made a political attack on the chief minister in a Facebook live yesterday. He had an outburst over numerous incidents of attacks centring on Eid yesterday. Very rightly, these outbursts happened. But these attacks on his residence right next to a mosque speak volumes about how a fascist government is running in the state, led by the chief minister. There is no rule of law. These people who were seen involved in the attack on his residence tonight are all very close to him (CM). This incident must be in the knowledge of the CM. These are happening because he (CM) is indulging them,' Roy Barman said. He also demanded immediate arrest and legal action against those he claimed were involved in the attack on Miah's house. He said legal action would be initiated against everyone involved in such assaults, either now or later. Chief Minister Saha's family was ancestrally based at Shantipara. State Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha lives in the same area, and dropped Miah at his home on his way back from the party office last night. Sunday's incident came after clashes were reported on Bakrid, which was celebrated a day before, at different places in Udaipur in the Gomati district. Four people were detained for allegedly slaughtering a cow in public near a water body in the Chhanban area in Udaipur. A similar incident occurred in the Rajnagar area of Udaipur, where a minority family was accused of slaughtering a cow in the open. In a separate incident, a group of Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists intercepted a vehicle loaded with a few cattle, and handed them over to the West Agartala Police Station, suspecting that the animals were being illegally transported. However, the cattle owners claimed they had valid documents of sale and ownership. In February 2022, the Tripura High Court ordered the state government to prohibit the sale of meat products in public places and streets and said the Agartala Municipal Corporation (AMC) should prepare a long-term plan for setting up abattoirs and slaughterhouses and ensuring the disposal of garbage appropriately and scientifically. The order, passed by Chief Justice Indrajit Mahanty and Justice SG Chattopadhyaya, came in response to a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Advocate Ankan Tilak Paul, and was preceded by AMC's decision to set up abattoirs or slaughter houses for handling animal slaughter for meat sale in the city. The Agartala civic body issued a notification prohibiting the slaughtering and sale of meat in the municipal area on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti. The municipal corporation also asked meat vendors to apply and get registered and necessary permission as part of he corporation's plan to stop uncontrolled public slaughtering of animals.


Indian Express
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Tripura Congress holds ‘Save Constitution' rally against ‘misuse' of central agencies
The Congress organised a 'Save Constitution' rally in Tripura on Tuesday accusing the ruling BJP of misusing central agencies. As a part of its nationwide campaign on protecting constitutional values and democratic principles, the Congress held a rally from the Agartala Press Club protesting against the 'systematic misuse' of central agencies by the BJP -led central government. Speaking to reporters, state Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha alleged that the central government had been frequently targeting Opposition party leaders through the Income Tax Department, Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and other agencies to silence them. The protest led to a minor scuffle with police after Congress workers tried to breach barricades near the local income tax office. Congress leaders later accused the central government of weakening democratic institutions and urged the people to unite to defend the Constitution. The party had made similar allegations on April 16 during a nationwide protest against the ED chargesheet filed against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, among others, in the National Herald money-laundering case.