The war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left parties has intensified ahead of the Tripura Assembly polls scheduled for February. BJP leader and Assam Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and the Left had a verbal duel on Twitter after he threatened to send Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to Bangladesh.
Criticising the law and order in the State at a rally in Mr. Sarkar’s constituency, Dhanpur, on Saturday, the Assam Minister said Mr. Sarkar should be shipped off to Bangladesh after the Assembly elections were over.
The remarks triggered an argument.
The Tripura Left Front committee issued a statement condemning Mr. Sarma for what it called “authoritarian and undemocractic” speech.
Reacting to it, Mr. Sarma said, “Condemn me later, first punish the culprits who raped and murdered four innocent girls aged between 14 and 16 in the last two months in Tripura.”
In a prompt reply, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) official handle @cpimspeak tweeted a rebuke comparing the crime figures for Tripura and Assam.
On crime records
“Have some shame Himanta Biswa Sarma! According to NCRB [National Crime Record Bureau] Assam has amongst the highest crime rate against women in the country. Tripura is nowhere near Assam’s shameful record of crimes against women like rapes and rapes on minors. People of Tripura will remember this insult to the State and its CM!”
The BJP, according to its senior functionaries, has decided to direct its attack on the Chief Minister who has been at the helm for 20 years. More such statements are in the offing.
The Left government has 50 of the 60 seats in the Assembly. It is facing a challenge in the tribal belt which the BJP has been desperately trying to enter.
Targeting the tribals
Mr. Sarkar and the Left accused the saffron party of repeatedly instigating extreme elements among the tribal population to side with them.
“The problem is that the youth among the tribals do not share the same affinity with the Left as their parents would. We are aware of the disconnect and are working for better communication with them,” said a high-ranking Left leader.
