Kolkata: Welcoming the Supreme Court's direction to the Tripura government to ensure that political parties are not prevented from pursuing their electoral rights, Trinamool Congress (TMC) stated that it would "help every single person in Tripura to exercise their democratic rights in peace" and with more enthusiasm.
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Tripura government to ensure that no political party, including Trinamool Congress, in the fray for local body polls, is prevented from pursuing its electoral rights in accordance with law and from campaigning in a peaceful and orderly manner.
In its Twitter handle, Trinamool Congress Tripura stated: "We wholeheartedly welcome the decision of the Hon'ble Supreme Court! This decision will help every single person in Tripura to exercise their democratic rights in peace and with even more enthusiasm. Our fight for the people of Tripura will continue! Jai Hind!"
This comes at the backdrop of Trinamool Congress candidates being intimidated with dire consequences. Even on Tuesday early morning, the house of the TMC candidate from ward number 48 of Agartala Municipality was attacked allegedly by BJP backed goons. The miscreants ransacked the place and other valuables, including two-wheelers. Her family members were also threatened with dire consequences. They also threatened her and her family members of setting the house on fire and locking them inside the house. Protest against the violence and torture on the party's candidates, Trinamool Congress leaders and workers, including Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev, Rajib Banerjee and Subal Bhowmick staged a sit-in-demonstration outside the headquarters of Tripura Police. Raising allegations of police inaction, she said: "It appears as if the police are there to serve the goons and not the people of Tripura! Nonetheless, we will keep fighting for our people."
With Aparna Biswas' house being attacked, Trinamool Congress alleged that the law and order situation in the state has turned worse ahead of the civic polls scheduled to be held on November 25.
The civic polls in Tripura would take place in 334 seats in 13 municipalities and six urban councils. Interestingly, BJP has won in 112 seats uncontested with the withdrawal of nomination by the candidates of the Opposition political parties, according to the State Election Commission on Thursday. Opposition political parties, including Trinamool Congress, have strongly opposed the alleged intimidation of their candidates to withdraw the nomination.
There were no candidates of the Opposition in seven urban councils and municipalities. Monday was the last day for the withdrawal of nomination. On Monday, 25 CPI(M) candidates, four TMC candidates, eight Congress, two Forward Bloc and seven Independent candidates withdrew their nominations.
There are no candidates of the Opposition political parties in Ambasha Municipality, Mohonpur Municipality, Ranibazar Municipality, Bishalgarh Municipality, Udaypur Municipality, Shantirbazar Municipality and Jiraniya urban council.
BJP, however, claimed that allegations of violence have been placed as the Opposition political parties are not being supported by many people in the state.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to hear a plea of two advocates and a journalist seeking quashing of a criminal case lodged under the harsh UAPA provisions against them for allegedly bringing facts through social media posts about the targeted violence against the minority community in Tripura.
The members of the civil society, who were part of a fact-finding committee, have also challenged the Constitutional validity of some provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 on the grounds that the definition of unlawful activities is vague and wide; moreover, the statute makes the grant of bail to accused very difficult.
Recently, the north-eastern state witnessed incidents of arson, looting and violence after reports emerged from Bangladesh that the Hindu minorities there had been attacked during Durga Puja on allegations of blasphemy.
A Bench comprising Chief Justice N V Ramana and Justices A S Bopanna and Hima Kohli was informed by advocate Prashant Bhushan that the two lawyers and the scribe who had gone there on a fact-finding mission have been proceeded against by the Tripura police under the UAPA for their social media posts and an FIR has been lodged and a notice under the CrPC has been issued to them.
"Why did you not go to the High Court? You go before the High Court," the Bench observed initially and later agreed to consider listing the plea after the lawyer said besides seeking relief of quashing of the FIR, the plea also challenged the constitutional validity of some UAPA provisions.