Former Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar accuses the BJP government of creating “jungle raj”, weakening democratic institutions, and failing to control rising prices and unemployment. He urges Left workers to intensify movements and restore pro-people governance in the state.
Former Tripura Chief Minister and senior CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar on Friday launched a blistering attack on the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), alleging that “jungle raj” now prevails across the state and that the rule of law has virtually collapsed under the present administration.
Sarkar made these remarks while addressing the State Conference of the Left-affiliated Khetmajdoor Union, which commenced at the Sonamura Town Hall. The programme was followed by a massive public rally at Rabindra Chowmuhani, where he delivered an hour-long speech sharply criticising the policies and governance style of the BJP both at the Centre and in Tripura.
Sarkar told party workers and supporters that the state was experiencing a deep crisis of governance driven by rising lawlessness, political intimidation, and the systematic weakening of democratic institutions. Calling for unity among Left cadres, he urged workers to intensify people’s movements against what he described as widespread injustice and administrative apathy. “The rule of law has collapsed. What exists today is a form of jungle raj where injustice goes unchallenged,” he said.
The former Chief Minister also drew comparisons between the present BJP government and earlier Congress administrations, asserting that both lacked a genuine commitment to public welfare. According to him, the governance style of the two parties closely resembled each other, with little focus on long-term welfare, employment generation, or social harmony. He argued that the similarities were evident in policy failures, rising public grievances, and an overall erosion of democratic accountability.
One of the major concerns highlighted by Sarkar was the growing cost of living. He accused the BJP government of repeatedly failing to control the steep rise in prices of essential commodities, despite strong public appeals. He said that even the distribution of 14–15 essential items through the public distribution system—an initiative that could significantly help low-income families—was being neglected. “The common people are crying out for relief. But the administration is neither listening nor taking corrective steps,” Sarkar added.
Employment-related issues also took centre stage in his speech. Sarkar insisted that during the Left Front rule, workers had consistently received 80–95 days of work annually under MGNREGA. By contrast, he claimed that the current government has reduced the availability of work drastically. “People barely get 30–32 days of work now. This is unacceptable in a state where rural households heavily depend on MGNREGA wages for survival,” he stated.
He also accused the ruling party of deliberately creating social and communal divides to divert attention from economic hardships and administrative shortcomings. Sarkar warned that a large section of people was being pushed into “confusion and unrest”, preventing them from recognising the government’s failures. “This is the biggest misfortune. When people are compelled to divert their minds away from real issues, the ruling forces get a free hand to continue their anti-people agenda,” he said.
Sarkar further alleged that democratic institutions in the state were facing sustained attacks. According to him, the independence of the judiciary was being compromised, and the justice system was being weakened systematically. He argued that both the previous Congress government and the current BJP administration had played roles in diminishing the credibility and autonomy of the judiciary.
In a pointed reminder of Tripura’s political history, Sarkar referred to the events of 1978, when the first Left Front government was formed but later removed following what he described as a “compromise” between Congress leaders and extremist groups. He said that despite such attempts, the people of Tripura restored a pro-people government within five years, demonstrating their political awareness and commitment to democratic values. Sarkar expressed confidence that a similar public awakening would take place again, bringing back what he called a “pro-people and transparent governance model”.
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Calling upon party workers to strengthen grassroots contacts and expand public outreach, Sarkar concluded by stating that the current political atmosphere demanded united resistance. He urged CPIM supporters to mobilise people around issues of livelihood, justice, and democratic rights while continuing to expose what he described as the failures of the present regime. According to Sarkar, the people of Tripura would ultimately rise and bring change once again.
