People's Democracy

 TRIPURA

Party To Consolidate Base Among Newcomers

THE CPI(M) Tripura state committee has decided to consolidate its base, particularly among the flocking newcomers from the opposition camp. The committee noted that this large influx of newcomers into the Party is the outcome of their utter disillusionment with the negative role of the Congress and its electoral ally, INPT towards the peace and harmony, progress and development of the state.

The state committee at its meeting on October 14-15, has also reviewed the month-long August campaign and the extremist problem in the state. It observed that in spite of some major attacks and mass-killings on the eve of Independence Day, the campaign movement in August on the 10-point charter of demands at the call of the Party central committee had received wide response from the masses. Through this campaign programme, more than 2000 families shifted their allegiance from Congress and INPT towards the CPI(M). During the interim period the number of such desertions from the opposition camp has crossed 6000 families.

At the outset, the state committee paid tribute to those who were martyred at the hands of the anti-national extremist outfits during the interim period since the committee last meet on August 10. These include the CPI(M) leaders, workers and supporters, security officers and jawans, innocent people, men women and children. The state committee also paid homage to veteran comrades like Sunil Basu Roy of West Bengal; Dulal Shil, CPI(M) Kamalpur divisional committee member;  Sadhan Das,  CPI(M) Subroom divisional committee member and Ramendra Barman, a renowned educationist and secretary, Tripura Board of Secondary Education who passed away in this period.

The state committee unequivocally condemned the RSS/VHP’s diabolical move to instigate religious jingoism in the name of construction of Ram temple in Ayodhya, violating the court verdict to maintain status quo at the disputed site. The state committee expressed deep concern over central government’s imposition of conditionalities on the state governments to introduce the Electricity Act, 2003, which, if enforced, would burden the consumers many fold in the form of hiked charges. The CPI(M) has decided to carry on a campaign on these issues.

OPPOSITION DEMORALISED

The leadership of the opposition parties and the extremist groups is a demoralised lot today due to the growing splits in their camps. Out of utter frustration, as a desperate move to prevent further erosion, the secessionist extremist outfits carried out several attacks on innocent people and security forces. During the interim period, a total of 67 people, including 13 jawans of security forces and 5 of their helpers were killed and 43 injured at their hands. The civilian people killed were mostly CPI(M) workers and supporters. On the other hand, in the anti-insurgency operations conducted by the security forces, 14 extremists and their 5 accomplices were killed, and 34 extremist and 55 of their collaborators were arrested. The state committee has decided to continue its campaign demanding the central government for ensuring proper protection of the border and for deployment of security forces according to the state’s requisition.

Introduction of commercial bus services between India and Bangladesh from Agartala to Dhaka is no doubt a milestone in the development of the mutual relations and cooperation, the committee opined. With this a long-cherished aspiration of the people of both the countries has been fulfilled. However, to make this more viable and popular, the state chief minister, Manik Sarkar, during his recent visit to Bangladesh, had urged the Bangladesh prime minister to revoke the entry tax from the Indians and introduction of double entry visa system. The state committee urged Bangladesh to actively consider these demands. It noted that the chief minister’s fruitful visit to Bangladesh had caused frustration among the opposition parties, particularly the Congress, which heaped personal attacks on the chief minister.

The state committee conveyed its appreciation to the people of the state, staff of police, para-military force, power department and others concerned for their sincere cooperation in making the Durga Puja festival this year a peaceful, incident-free enjoyable affair.

The CPI(M) state committee has also urged the people of the state to come forward to cooperate with the state government in the implementation of the 37-point package programme for tribal development and its aim to attain 100 per cent literacy by August, 2005.