The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) has alleged that farmers were attacked, and their sources, livelihood including livestock, were destroyed during the post-poll violence in Tripura. Leaders of the AIKS demanded urgent intervention of the National Human Rights Commission to control the violence, and demanded compensation for farmers to the damages they suffered due to the violence.
AIKS leaders told reporters here at a press conference that more than 1,000 acres of rubber plantation in 211 rubber gardens, were burnt down during the violence, allegedly orchestrated by the RSS-BJP workers. An area of 500 acres of vegetable cultivation, 60 ponds and tanks of fisheries apart from irrigation systems were destroyed; 10 cows, 15 goats, several ducks and chicken were killed; and animals were stolen from 22 houses, during the violence.
“Apart from physical and mental torture, they (BJP-RSS workers) attacked sources of livelihood by poisoning fish ponds, setting fire to rubber plantations, uprooting seasonal vegetables, looting poultry farms and by burning cows to death. “Numerous houses have been fully burnt down. Shops were vandalised and set on fire. Homeless, helpless hundreds of people took shelter in nearby jungles or in the different mass and class organisation offices in Agartala,” the leaders alleged.
The leaders said they will raise the matter with the National Human Rights Commission, and a nationwide solidarity campaign will be held in May. “We will exhibit the photo and video evidence of the attacks in villages across the country during this period, to expose the barbarian character of the BJP-RSS. AIKS will make all efforts to politically expose and isolate the forces perpetrating violence and stifling democratic rights of the people,” the leaders said.
