Agartala, September 2: In his first public reaction to the recent communal violence on the outskirts of Agartala, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha on Monday condemned the incident. He assured the public that swift action has been taken to address the situation.
The violence erupted following the alleged defacing of a Kali idol in the Durganagar area under Ranirbazar police station in West Tripura district, which led to the looting and arson of dozens of houses and vehicles belonging to the minority Muslim community on August 25 night.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a blood donation program in Agartala, Saha, who also serves as the state’s Home Minister, stated, “Such incidents are never welcomed. As soon as it came to my notice, immediate action was taken.”
He highlighted that the police were promptly dispatched to the scene to gather information and manage the situation.
Saha emphasized the government’s commitment to countering such acts socially and politically, ensuring that similar incidents are opposed and prevented in the future.
“I caution everyone to refrain from any kind of violence, including communal violence,” he said.
The Chief Minister also pointed out that there are elements who are unhappy with the current government’s peaceful governance, and these elements may be attempting to incite such violence to disrupt the state’s harmony.
“In such a situation, I request those involved in executing these incidents to desist from doing so,” he added.
Saha’s remarks come in the wake of criticism from TIPRA Motha founder and royal scion Pradyot Kishore Debbarma, a key ally of the ruling BJP.
Debbarma recently cautioned that a section within the ruling party, particularly those vying for the Chief Minister’s post, might be instigating communal violence in an attempt to undermine Saha’s leadership.
He also criticized the repeated inaction of the police in recent incidents across the state, particularly highlighting the case at Gandatwisa, where a tribal youth succumbed to injuries after an alleged mob lynching took place right in front of the police.
This incident also later sparked communal violence between the tribal and non-tribal communities, leaving hundreds homeless as their houses and shops were looted and set ablaze, similar to the Ranirbazar incident, and both allegedly occurred in the presence of police.
The incident in Durganagar, which triggered the violence, reportedly involved the defacement of a Kali idol by unknown miscreants, sparking outrage in the mixed-population area. The situation quickly escalated, resulting in the destruction of property and increased tensions between communities.
Chief Minister Saha’s strong condemnation and his call for peace are seen as critical steps in addressing the communal tensions and preventing further violence in the state.
