Agartala, July 18: A six-member delegation from the Congress party, including MP Tariq Anwar, Deputy Opposition Leader of the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, CWC member and MLA Sudip Roy Barman, Tripura in-charge Girish Raya Chodankar, AICC secretary Szarita Laitphlang, and TPCC president Asish Kumar Saha, met Tripura Governor Indrasena Reddy Nallu.
The delegation apprised the Governor of the ongoing pre-Panchayat poll violence in the state, allegedly orchestrated by ruling BJP supporters.
The delegation appealed to the Governor to intervene and take appropriate measures to protect the democratic rights of voting and contesting elections.
They emphasized that fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution are at stake and urged the Governor to ensure that law and order are maintained, allowing the Panchayat elections to proceed peacefully and enabling all parties to participate.
The Congress leaders reported that the Governor assured them he would address the issues they raised.
They highlighted recent violence in Gandatwisa, Dhalai district, alleging a prevailing state of lawlessness and a lack of democracy in Tripura.
Congress demanded justice for the victims of the Gandatwisa incident and warned that continued incidents of this nature could escalate into communal tensions, similar to those in neighboring Manipur.
Criticizing the state police, the Congress leaders claimed that despite prior warnings of potential violence, the police failed to take adequate measures, contributing to the Gandatwisa incident.
They announced plans to submit a memorandum to the Governor outlining the instances of violence and intimidation occurring in the state, particularly in the run-up to the elections.
