AGARTALA: The Left Front’s jail bharo agitation extended to nearly 20 locations across Tripura on Monday, including a large rally in Agartala where thousands gathered demanding action on an 11 point charter concerning workers, farmers and the general public.
Thousands of Left Front workers and supporters took part in the agitation in Agartala, protesting against what they called the anti-people policies and activities of the BJP government. Carrying red flags, Left leaders and workers marched through the city streets, leading to considerable tension in the area around Post Office Chowmuhani.
The jail bharo programme, called by the Left Front over an 11 point charter of demands centred on the interests of workers and farmers, drew a large turnout of supporters. Among those present were former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of the Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury, Former Minister Manik Dey, MLA Narayan Kar and others.
The gathering moved forward raising slogans on issues including the BJP government’s anti-people policies, price rise and unemployment. A large police force had been deployed at the site in advance to manage the situation, and multiple barricades were set up to contain the protesters.
However, tension escalated when the large gathering of Left workers and supporters reached the barricades. At one point, demonstrators broke through the police barricades and pushed forward. Scuffles were reported to have broken out between protesters and police as a result.
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Vehicular movement in important areas of the capital was also affected because of the agitation, prompting the deployment of additional police and security personnel to control the situation.
Addressing the gathering, LoP Chaudhury accused the double engine government of snatching away work opportunities from people in villages and hills as well as from the state’s youth. He alleged that the rights of people in rural and hill areas were being curtailed, claiming that the rights of jhumias too had been taken away.
He said despair and distress had built up among people in various parts of the villages and hills, alleging that incidents such as the selling of children were taking place. He also accused government departments of running a “regime of loot,” and said the day’s programme was meant to caution the government.
Chaudhury said that when rulers turn autocratic, citizens are compelled to take to civil disobedience movements, describing August as a month of struggle and revolution. He said the jail bharo agitation was being carried out by the Left in nearly 20 locations across the state besides Agartala, and called for intensifying the movement to protect the demands and rights of the people.
Ex-CM Sarkar also came down heavily on the BJP government, alleging that it was not interested in resolving the burning problems of the people and was instead intent on pursuing a politics of division going forward. He alleged that common people were facing severe economic hardship under the BJP government, and that the government had shown no effective initiative to resolve the problems confronting the people of the country and the state.
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Instead of addressing issues linked to people’s lives and livelihoods, he alleged, the BJP government was trying to create divisions among people in the name of community. He said the government had shown no positive response to the 11 point charter of demands raised by the CPI(M) in the interest of the common people.
Sarkar also criticised the role of police during the CPI(M)’s jail bharo agitation, alleging that the BJP government had used the police administration in an attempt to obstruct the movement. He said the police could instead have informed protesters that there was no need to proceed with the civil disobedience programme and that the government would take necessary steps on their demands, but police were used to obstruct the agitation instead.
He said this conduct made it clear that the government had no interest in resolving the burning problems of the people, and asserted that the CPI(M)’s movement, built around the just demands of the people, would continue in the days ahead.
