Agartala: The Congress on Sunday alleged that its leaders and workers were attacked by "BJP goons" following the opposition party's win in the Agartala bypoll and demanded that those guilty be brought to justice as well as BJP chief J P Nadda apologise for it. The Congress also said if the Tripura government is unable to handle law and order, then President's rule will be "necessary" in the state.
The opposition party said a three-member delegation comprising MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi and Naseer Hussain will visit Tripura on Monday to take stock of the situation and prepare a report on this "heinous attack". At least 19 people, including Tripura PCC chief Birajit Sinha, were injured in a clash between Congress and BJP supporters in front of the Congress Bhavan in Agartala after the results of the by-elections to the four Assembly seats in the state were declared. Police fired tear gas to disperse the mob.
The BJP won three seats and the Congress one. Taking to Twitter, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said, "I strongly condemn the vicious attack on our leaders & workers by BJP goons following @INCIndia's win in the Agartala bypoll." "The people are with us. Shameful that the police stood as mute spectators instead of stopping the attack. These BJP goons must be brought to justice," the former Congress chief said.
In a tweet in Hindi, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said crores of Congress workers and leaders will brave the BJP's violence by standing like a rock with their counterparts in Tripura. "No matter how many violent tactics the BJP adopts, the defeat of these violent tactics is certain in the field of democracy," she said. In a statement, Congress general secretary in-charge, organisation, K C Venugopal said the party strongly condemns the "mindless attack" on the Congress Bhavan and the brutal assault on the Tripura PCC president by "BJP goons" after the thumping victory of party candidate Sudip Roy Barman in the Agartala bypoll.
"This barbarous attack happened even as the police passively looked on while BJP goons vandalised properties and carried out blatantly violent attacks on our party office-bearers," Venugopal said. "It is utterly shameful that the police stood as mute and complicit spectators while the goons stormed the office and attacked our office-bearers. The BJP goons were freely roaming with rods and sticks and threw stones inside the office," he alleged. "The PCC president sustained injuries and was admitted to hospital following the attack," Venugopal said.
"This cruel act happened after the Congress party candidate Sudip Roy Burman emerged victorious in the prestigious by-poll for the Agartala assembly seat. Earlier, the BJP goons had mercilessly attacked S Burman and he had sustained serious injuries," he said. The "desperate" BJP is unable to accept the people's verdict, Venugopal said. "We demand an apology from the BJP president J P Nadda and an investigation by (Union) Home Minister Shri Amit Shah into why these attacks occurred. If the state government is unable to handle law and order, then the President's Rule will be necessary," he said.
The Congress urged the authorities to take strict action against the culprits and ensure the safety of its offices and office-bearers. In a video statement from Guwahati, AICC Tripura in-charge Ajoy Kumar alleged that the Congress office in Agartala was attacked by BJP workers. "The Congress Bhavan is right next to the police station. Despite this, BJP goons attacked using knives and pelted stones. You can imagine what kind of law and order is there in Tripura," he said. "People of the country should see how political opponents are being attacked by the BJP in Tripura. The BJP government there, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah are silent on it," he said.
Congress media in-charge in Tripura Congress Asish Kumar Saha said jubilant party supporters returned to the Congress Bhavan from the counting hall with Barman around 1 pm. "When they were preparing for lunch, a strong group of BJP supporters attacked the Congress Bhavan. The Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee president was hit on the head with bricks while one Congress worker, identified as Romi Miah, was stabbed by BJP supporters," he said. (with agency Inputs))
