The Trinamool Congress on Sunday alleged that its two women MPs — Dola Sen and Aparupa Poddar — were attacked allegedly by BJP backed hooligans at two locations in south Tripura. It said an aide of the MPs from West Bengal was seriously injured in one of the incidents.
The MPs accompanied by State leaders went to Thairung in Sabroom, 130 km from Agartala, to inaugurate a party office and attend a national flag hoisting programme. Several bike-borne people arrived at the scene and started attacking the leaders and supporters with bamboo sticks and stones, the TMC claimed.
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The party alleged Ms. Sen and Ms. Poddar were physically assaulted and their aide Jakir Husssain was seriously injured. Mr. Hussain received eight stitches on his head.
Two vehicles of the TMC team were smashed by the hooligans. Ms. Sen claimed that the police personnel present at the venue did not try to stop the attackers. The police said they were investigating the incident.
She claimed that they were again attacked by bike-borne miscreants at Birchandra Manu in Belonia subdivision on their way back to Agartala.
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BJP’s spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty denied the party’s link with the incidents and blamed the TMC leaders from West Bengal for making repeated attempts to create tension in “peaceful Tripura”.
The two MPs and Mr. Hussain flew back to Kolkata in the evening. “They have returned after receiving instruction from party supremo Mamta Banerjee,” a local TMC leader said.
Strategy to build organisation
The TMC sent 10 MPs to the State as part of the strategy to build the organisation ahead of the Assembly elections slated for early 2023. Its national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee visited the State twice over the past two weeks.
Sporadic incidents of attacks and clashes between the supporters of the two parties began occurring after the latter announced its resolve to defeat the BJP in the Assembly poll.