It all started with Nripendra Chandra Debnath murder in 1978 at Jambura village, Khowai subdivision. The elderly man, a retired Air force personnel and a dedicated Congress worker, was murdered in broad daylight in a Shanti meeting by CPM cadres. That was considered the first ‘political murder’ in Tripura.
This murder later gave rise to a spate of brutal killings, arson, assaults and all sort of violence committed by the supporters of both the CPM and Congress against each other in the then sharply divided bipolar political environment in the state.
Some were still remembered even after 40 years or more and given as a reference—Shankar -Jayanta murder, MLA Gautam Datta murder, MLA Parimal Saha murder are some of them.
Birchandra Manu could only be referred to as one of the most gruesome ones where on 12 October 1988 as many as 11 CPM supporters were massacred and several including MLA Brajamohan Jamatia narrowly escaped.
While in a simple drive along the National Highway a curious onlooker would see several black and small memorials erected by the roadside—from Khowai, Khayerpur, Ranirbazar, Amarpur, Sabroom to Belonia. Khowai and Belonia were once hot spots of violence. Those small memorials were erected in memory of those who had been murdered, often in groups.
In Bishalgarh as many as 13 CPM supporters – many of whom became well-established in later life – went to jail for life as the High Court of Tripura reopened the long-forgotten case of the murder of Congress MLA Parimal Saha on April 7, 1983 in Office Tilla area. In the same place, the killers of CPM MLA Gautam Datta were still at large and never punished.
As expected, these incidents and names of the deceased and the unpunished killers started surfacing on Saturday as the Congress and CPM sought to bury the hatchet and forge an alliance to defeat the BJP.
The politics of Indian brands always throw up strange bedfellows and the alliance in a sense was not really a surprise or bolt out of blue.
If in West Bengal CPM could forge an alliance with rabid fundamentalist Furfura Sharif, they could very well join hands with Congress. But the fact remained that in Tripura while in the face of the formidable ruling of BJP and its aggressive politics, the political compulsions of both the parties could very well be understood, large sections of party workers and supporters, nevertheless, seemed at the bottom of their hearts unable to accept the friendship as they could not forget the violence-ridden past, the loss, pain and agonies inflicted upon them by the rivals.
The Congress had lost its decisive strength long ago, mostly for its over-ambitious leaders and perennial factional feuds—even as the AICC often ensured CPM’s victory in Tripura for its interest in Delhi. On the other hand, the CPM’s once deep-rooted support base eroded fast– mainly with the loss of tribal areas to the IPFT first, and TIPRA Motha later. There was also a considerable slip in the CPM’s urban vote plank. All these ensured BJP’s emergence.
As it stood today, it remained alive with both the CPM and Congress that if they went to the polls on their own, the division in their votes would help BJP retain the power without much difficulty. This compulsion brought them to the same bed.
It became so glaring for the CPM that which once had used to start counting its seat keeping all the 20 ST seats safe and secure in its kitty, now became desperate to find a friend for alliance on whom it could rely to sail through the elections. They had even offered the invitation to TIPRA Motha which espoused the cause of ‘Greater Tipraland’-that the CPM all along opposed and found an absurd demand. Congress which did not have much hope over the horizon quite expectedly felt it prudent to join the bête noir CPM.
But now leaders of both parties would be facing it tough to convince a large section of their upset foot soldiers to shake hands and to vote, even campaign, for their traditional enemy.
While social media was already abuzz with grumbling posts and dissensions from many of the supporters, some even considering to leave their respective parties to join BJP or Trinamool Congress.
The indication came from Bishalgarh from where total 138 CPM supporters joined BJP today protesting against the ‘unholy’ alliance. It was followed by another 16 voters joining the BJP led by President’s award winner teacher and ex-Gram Pradhan of Pathaliabari Panchayat under Golaghati Constituency Satyaban Kar.
If the indications were anything to go by then such desertion might continue for some time putting the CPM and the Congress in an uncomfortable situation. The BJP would undoubtedly miss no chance to stoke the resentment with fuel and bringing out the skeletons from the cupboard. And the skeletons would only rattle to tell a story – each for each party worker.
It would now be imperative for both Congress and CPM to make their workers understand the political compulsions that forced them to forge the alliance. That would be an extra burden before the polls, for them.
(Also published in Tripura Times)
