A BJP protest in Agartala against Bengal violence turned tense when party workers allegedly attacked the AITC state office. Both parties traded accusations, with BJP citing political resentment and Trinamool condemning it as an “assault on democracy.”
A protest rally organized by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Tripura Pradesh unit on Tuesday took an unexpected turn when a group of party workers allegedly attacked the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) state headquarters in Agartala. The incident occurred amid heightened political tension following reports of violence against BJP MPs and MLAs in West Bengal.
The BJP’s state leadership had organized the protest to express solidarity with their counterparts in West Bengal and to denounce what they described as “political vengeance” unleashed by the ruling Trinamool Congress in that state. The rally, which included members of various BJP frontal organizations — particularly the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) — started peacefully but turned tense as it reached the Motor Stand area.
According to eyewitnesses, a section of agitated BJP supporters suddenly broke away from the main procession and began ransacking parts of the AITC office premises. Party banners were torn down, and flower pots were smashed. However, no major damage to the building was reported.
BJP Sadar Urban District President Ashim Bhattacharjee and BJYM State President and MLA Sushanta Deb swiftly intervened to control the situation, preventing further escalation. “We immediately stopped the miscreants and restored order,” Bhattacharjee said, addressing the media shortly after the incident.
He condemned the political situation in West Bengal under Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s leadership, alleging that the state had “become a corridor for destroying the nation.” He added, “West Bengal, once the land of great reformers, writers, and freedom fighters, is now witnessing rampant political violence. The Hindus are under threat. Mamata Banerjee and her party have lost the confidence of the people and are resorting to violence out of fear.”
Bhattacharjee also referred to recent attacks on BJP MP Khagen Murmu and MLA Shankar Ghosh in West Bengal, calling them “acts of desperation” by a ruling party losing its ground. “Trinamool has lost its support base. The party is frightened by the rapid growth of BJP. If free and fair elections are held, Mamata Banerjee’s empire will collapse like a house of cards,” he said.
He also remarked that the people of Tripura had once supported the Trinamool Congress in its fight against the Communist Party of India (Marxist), but “today, they see that Trinamool has become another name for oppression.”
Meanwhile, the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) condemned the attack in strong terms, calling it “an open assault on democracy.” In a statement posted on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, the party said, “The violent attack on @AITC4Tripura’s office by BJP-backed goons is not an isolated act of aggression; it is an open assault on democracy. When those in power unleash violence to silence their opponents, they expose not strength, but fear and moral bankruptcy.”
The post further stated that BJP’s actions contradict its own rhetoric about “saving democracy.” “They talk about saving democracy while burning its foundations, state after state,” the statement read.
The AITC leadership asserted that despite the physical attack, their resolve remains unbroken. “They may destroy offices, tear posters, and intimidate workers — but they cannot destroy the spirit of resistance that lives in every Trinamool worker and every citizen who believes in justice. We will not be silenced. We will not back down. The people of Tripura and India are watching,” the party declared.
Political observers in Tripura noted that the clash reflects the growing rivalry between the two national parties in the northeastern state, where both have been attempting to consolidate their bases ahead of upcoming local elections. While BJP leaders tried to downplay the incident as a spontaneous expression of anger, Trinamool’s state leaders have accused the BJP of “using violence as a political tool.”
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Although no major injuries were reported and police presence at the scene quickly restored order, the incident underscored the rising temperature of political competition in the region.
For now, both parties have traded sharp words, each accusing the other of eroding democratic principles — a pattern that seems to be repeating across several states where the BJP and Trinamool Congress are vying for political influence.
