Former Tripura CM Manik Sarkar faces protests, black flags; CPI(M), Congress condemn

Former Tripura chief minister Manik Sarkar faced protests and black flags from a group of villagers in West Tripura district on Sunday while he was on his way to attend a DYFI programme, police said.

Sarkar's party, the CPI(M), and the Congress condemned the incident and alleged that it reflected the law-and-order situation under the BJP-led government in the state.

Police said Sarkar was proceeding to attend the Mohanpur divisional committee conference of the CPI(M)'s youth wing DYFI at Kalibazar around noon when protesters surrounded his vehicle and raised slogans asking him to go back.

The protesters also waved black flags at Sarkar, who served as Tripura chief minister from 1998 to 2018.

"A strong contingent of police and CRPF personnel reached the spot after being alerted and escorted Sarkar safely to the local CPI(M) office. The ex-chief minister addressed the programme and safely returned to Agartala," Mohanpur Sub-Divisional Police Officer Asish Das Gupta said.

CPI(M) state secretary and Leader of the Opposition in the Tripura Assembly Jitendra Chaudhury condemned the incident and said he had spoken to Director General of Police (in-charge) GS Rao, who assured him that the matter would be looked into.

"It was a deliberate attempt to prevent the former chief minister from attending a party programme. The BJP leaders who had stopped him and staged protests will not be able to hide once the people hit the streets," Chaudhury said.

Senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman also condemned the incident and alleged that the attack on a former chief minister reflected the prevailing law-and-order situation under the BJP-led government.

He demanded action against those involved and alleged that the demonstrators had acted at the behest of local BJP leaders.

The BJP's response to the allegations was not immediately available.