Agartala/Kolkata, Oct 8 (NationPress) The Trinamool Congress on Wednesday asserted that under the BJP’s leadership, Tripura has been turned into a “theatre of terror,” where “jungle raj” has become the new standard and “gratuitous political violence” is being utilized as a governance strategy rather than an exception.

A six-member delegation from the Trinamool Congress arrived in Agartala on Wednesday, following an alleged assault on the party’s state headquarters by BJP supporters.

Responding to the issues encountered by the party in Agartala earlier the same day, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated in Kolkata that she would consider visiting Tripura if needed.

“If required, I will go there. Let’s see how much power they wield. In Tripura, I was denied the ability to hire pre-paid taxis. I instructed the team to reach the location on foot,” Banerjee remarked.

After addressing the media, the Trinamool Congress delegation, which included West Bengal Minister Birbaha Hansda, three MPs—Sushmita Dev, Pratima Mondal, and Saayoni Ghosh—and two spokespersons, Kunal Ghosh and Sudip Raha, met with Tripura DGP Anurag, demanding security for party members within the state.

Kunal Ghosh, who also serves as the West Bengal Trinamool Congress General Secretary, indicated that they urged the DGP to take action against the prior attacks on party leaders in Tripura.

He highlighted that when Tripura BJP leaders, including former Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, visit West Bengal, they enjoy unrestricted movement and full logistical support from the West Bengal government.

Ghosh further alleged that in Tripura, alongside the assaults on Trinamool Congress leaders, they were also obstructed from using vehicles and obtaining hotel accommodations as per the directives of BJP officials.

Pointing to a recent attack on BJP’s two-time MP from West Bengal, Khagen Murmu, and a legislator in North Bengal, Ghosh stated that no Trinamool Congress workers were implicated in that event.

“There is significant resentment among the populace in Bengal’s rural areas against BJP leaders, as they have hindered funding for various central initiatives, depriving citizens of their entitlements. Central funds for MGNREGA and housing schemes have been blocked, and BJP officials are openly boasting about it,” the former Rajya Sabha member expressed.

He added that the Trinamool Congress has made it clear that it does not condone any attacks on leaders or workers of other parties.

“Our Chief Minister and party leader Mamata Banerjee even visited the hospital to speak with Khagen Murmu,” he noted. Saayoni Ghosh, a Lok Sabha member, stated that under BJP’s regime, Tripura has devolved into a 'theatre of terror' where 'jungle raj' is the new norm and 'gratuitous political violence' is wielded as a governance tool. The incident in Agartala serves as a stark reminder of the extent of this decline.

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev remarked that Tuesday’s attack on the party office was a calculated effort to instill fear and suppress dissenting voices, effectively erasing democratic space.

“The Trinamool Congress emerged from a fight against authoritarianism, and we will persist in that struggle wherever democracy faces threats,” Dev asserted.

She claimed that democracy has ceased to exist in Tripura, with the constitutional machinery having completely disintegrated under the BJP regime.

The Trinamool Congress delegation has sought a meeting with Tripura Governor Indra Sena Reddy Nallu to discuss the current law and order situation in the state.

Earlier, Trinamool Congress leaders alleged that upon arriving at Agartala airport from Kolkata, they were prohibited from using their hired vehicles to travel within the city or to the party office.

After three hours of intense discussions with the police and a sit-in protest at the airport, the police eventually provided vehicles and security escorts for their visit to the city and the party headquarters, according to Kunal Ghosh.

In the meantime, BJP spokesperson Nabendu Bhattacharjee refuted the claims, asserting that there was no attack on the Trinamool Congress office in Agartala.

“Only a few Trinamool Congress flags were removed from in front of their office. In fact, the constitutional machinery has collapsed in West Bengal, where total chaos reigns under the Trinamool Congress government,” Bhattacharjee stated in a media briefing.