Tripura’s political tensions have escalated sharply as the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has strongly condemned what it described as “baseless, irrelevant and anti-Communist remarks” made by Chief Minister Manik Saha during his recent visit to the violence-hit Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) headquarters in Khumulwng.
The CPI-M, the state’s main opposition party, issued a detailed statement on Saturday expressing strong dissatisfaction over the Chief Minister’s comments, accusing him of indulging in “false propaganda” to shield the ruling alliance from widespread allegations of political violence.
According to the CPI-M, Chief Minister Saha made unfounded accusations targeting the Left party while addressing the media during his visit to Khumulwng, an area hit by repeated clashes involving workers of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its regional ally, the Tipra Motha Party (TMP).
The Left party alleged that instead of condemning the violent incidents, the Chief Minister used the opportunity to launch an attack on the Communists, making references to the CPI-M’s governance culture in Kerala, West Bengal, and Tripura. This, the party claimed, reflected the Chief Minister’s “hatred toward Communists” and was an attempt to distract from the ruling alliance’s failures.
The CPI-M further claimed that the Chief Minister’s statements were “blatant lies meant to divert public attention from the atrocities committed by BJP and TMP activists.” It accused the Chief Minister, who also holds the Home portfolio, of failing to maintain law and order as “bloody clashes” between the two ruling partners spiraled out of control across multiple regions.
Over the past few days, clashes have reportedly escalated across several areas, including Jirania, Khumulwng, Jampuijala, and Takarjala. According to the CPI-M, multiple party offices belonging to both the BJP and TMP were set ablaze, homes were vandalised, people were assaulted, and properties were looted and torched. The party also criticised the alleged inaction of the two police stations in the violence-hit areas, claiming that law enforcement “remained completely inactive,” causing widespread fear among residents.
In its statement, the Left party highlighted that even a Minister within the BJP-led government publicly blamed the Chief Minister for failing to control the unrest. It claimed that “the existence of both the state administration and the TTAADC administration is nowhere to be seen,” further underscoring the severity of the law-and-order crisis.
Demanding accountability, the CPI-M called on Chief Minister Saha to take responsibility for the breakdown of law and order and condemned what it called “false and provocative comments targeting the CPI-M.” It urged the Chief Minister to restore peace instead of “encouraging miscreants with misleading remarks.” The Left party also appealed to the people of Tripura to raise their voices against the Chief Minister’s “malicious remarks and the government’s failure to ensure safety and security.”
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Manik Saha, speaking on Friday, strongly criticised what he described as a “Communist mentality” still present in parts of Tripura. He alleged that acts of violence, including arson and political terrorism, were historically linked to CPI-M rule.
“A woman was brutally tortured on Thursday. Her household belongings were looted, jewellery was snatched, and even her refrigerator was destroyed,” the Chief Minister said, referring to a recent incident in Khumulwng. He emphasised that such incidents were unacceptable and promised strict action.
The Chief Minister also acknowledged that recent discussions had reduced differences between BJP and TMP leaders but maintained that the violence was “undesirable and unacceptable.” His visit to Khumulwng was accompanied by BJP state General Secretary Bipin Debbarma, local mandal leaders, and several other party officials.
However, internal tensions within the ruling alliance further intensified on Friday when TMP leader and Forest Minister Animesh Debbarma publicly demanded that the Home Department be handed over to his party. Debbarma accused the Home Department, currently held by Chief Minister Saha, of failing to control the state’s political violence.
While inspecting two TMP offices burnt in recent clashes, Debbarma accused the police of allowing the violence to escalate despite having information on the identities of those involved. He claimed that police inaction suggested that miscreants were being shielded.
The Minister asserted that if TMP were given control of the Home Department, law and order would “totally change.” He further warned that such politically-biased policing would not be tolerated and hinted at possible political consequences. He stated that the Tipra Motha Party would soon take a “final stand” on its alliance with the BJP after consultations with party Supremo Pradyot Kishore Debbarma.
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With political tensions rising, Tripura faces growing uncertainty as the ruling alliance struggles to contain internal conflicts while the opposition intensifies its criticism of the administration’s handling of the situation.
