Signs of rift in Tripura Left Front as GMP chief takes on police ‘inaction’

Signs of a rift have surfaced in Tripura’s ruling Left Front with the Rajya Upajati Ganamukti Parishad (GMP), an indigenous front of CPI(M) alleging police negligence during the September 19 violence that led to the killing of TV journalist Shantanu Bhowmik.

That day, Bhowmik was covering a clash between members of GMP and Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT), a tribal party reportedly leaning towards Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

“Many of our activists including women were injured in IPFTinstigated clashes at Khowai, Mohanpur, Jirania and Jampuijala that day. Many of our members were injured and our party offices, vehicles were damaged, but the police remained mute spectators. This led to more violence,” GMP president and Lok Sabha MP Jitendra Choudhury said, demanding a probe against the officers responsible.

Party insiders said his statement could be aimed at chief minister Manik Sarkar who holds the home portfolio too. The police comes under the Home department, and criticism of the force is seen as a comment on Sarkar.

CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar however, distanced the party from Choudhury’s comments and said the party has “full faith” in the state police.

“The party has no information about police supporting IPFT or communal forces that that. GMP perhaps made the allegation against the police as many of their activists were injured. But we cannot blame the entire force due to the negative attitude of a few policemen...” he said.

A week ago, a GMP delegation met Tripura director general of police AK Shukla and demanded a departmental inquiry against the police officers whose inaction led to the violence as well as those responsible for it.

The IPFT revived its demand for a separate Tipraland after almost a decade. Among its other demands is inclusion of the tribal Kokborok language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

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