Agartala, Apr 16: Alleging political vendetta and targeting of top Opposition leaders, the Tripura Pradesh Congress on Wednesday launched a fierce protest in Agartala after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) named Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi, and Sam Pitroda in its chargesheet in the National Herald case.
The protest was part of a nationwide demonstration announced by the All India Congress Committee (AICC), accusing the Narendra Modi-led BJP government of using central agencies to suppress the Opposition. Tripura Pradesh Congress staged their protest in front of the ED’s office here in Agartala, raising slogans against the ruling dispensation and vowing to resist what they termed “misuse of power”.
Congress workers and supporters gathered near the Panchabati Kali Temple at Barjala and marched to the ED office located at the Nutan Nagar, Co-operative, as part of the protest. The demonstration saw the participation of senior state Congress leaders including MLAs Sudip Roy Barman and Gopal Chandra Roy, along with Tripura Pradesh Congress president Ashish Kumar Saha.
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Addressing the gathering, MLA Barman said, “The real issues in our country today are unemployment, inflation, and corruption. But instead of addressing those, the Modi government is busy filing false cases against Opposition leaders to divert attention.”
He claimed that the BJP’s allegations of corruption against Congress leaders have never been proven. “Even after 12 years in power, the BJP has not been able to arrest a single Congress leader on charges of corruption. This proves that the accusations were hollow. In fact, both the CBI and the ED have effectively given us a clean chit,” Roy Barman said.
He further added that when Dr. Manmohan Singh was Prime Minister, industrial giants like Adani and Ambani were in financial trouble, yet the Congress-led UPA government chose to focus on the welfare of the poor. “Historic legislations like the Right to Education, Right to Work, Right to Food, Right to Health, and Forest Rights Act were all introduced during our time,” he said.
Roy Barman also had a sharp message for the ED, warning that the agency’s current role is being closely observed. “The way you’re acting like puppets will not be forgotten. Everything is being documented—from the top level down to the booths. And the lessons you’re teaching today will be returned manifold in future,” he remarked.
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Meanwhile, state Congress President Saha echoed similar sentiments and warned that the Congress party will not back down in the face of intimidation. “Prime Minister Modi, Amit Shah, and the BJP are using false cases to isolate Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. But we will take this protest as far as it needs to go,” he said.
Saha also criticized the use of security forces to deter protests. “No amount of police pressure or threats can stop the Congress. Our fight will continue on the streets against this injustice,” he declared.
The protest witnessed a significant turnout of party supporters, who pledged to stand by their leaders and continue their agitation against what they called “the BJP’s politics of revenge”.
The case, filed by the ED, is scheduled for hearing before a special court on April 25.