Former Tripura Chief Minister and veteran Left leader Manik Sarkar faced an alleged obstruction by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) supporters near Kalibazar in West Tripura on Sunday when he arrived to inaugurate the DYFI Mohanpur subdivision conference. The incident has drawn sharp condemnation from the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M], the Communist Party of India (CPI), and the Indian National Congress (Congress), who collectively described it as an attack on democratic norms.

What Happened at Kalibazar

According to a statement issued by the CPI-M state secretariat, a group of BJP supporters gathered near the entrance of the party office at Kalibazar in Bamutia before Sarkar's vehicle arrived around noon. 'As soon as Manik Sarkar's vehicle reached the spot, the BJP workers tried in various ways to create obstruction,' the CPI-M alleged. BJP supporters also reportedly waved black flags at the former Chief Minister.

The Left party stated that youth volunteers stepped in to confront the alleged troublemakers, enabling Sarkar's vehicle to enter the CPI-M office. Sarkar subsequently inaugurated the DYFI conference by addressing the gathering and departed the venue without further incident. Youth leaders and delegates continued with the programme peacefully thereafter, according to the CPI-M.

Police Response and Security Deployment

A police official confirmed that a strong contingent of police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel, led by Mohanpur Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Asish Das Gupta, reached the site after being alerted and escorted Sarkar safely to the local CPI-M office. The swift deployment is said to have prevented the situation from escalating further.

Opposition Leaders Speak Out

Leader of Opposition (LoP) and CPI-M state Secretary Jitendra Choudhry told the media: 'It was a purposeful attempt to prevent the former Chief Minister from attending a party programme. The BJP leaders who had stopped him and staged protests will not be able to hide once the people hit the streets.'

Senior Congress leader and former Minister Sudip Roy Barman was equally forthright: 'A jungle raj has been prevailing in the state under the governance of the BJP. There is no law and order in the state,' he said. The CPI-M state secretariat formally condemned what it described as the 'undemocratic' behaviour of the ruling party and demanded appropriate action against those allegedly involved.

Context: Sarkar's Legacy and Tripura's Political Climate

Manik Sarkar served as Chief Minister of Tripura for 20 years between 1998 and 2018, making him one of the longest-serving chief ministers in post-independence India. The BJP ended his party's decades-long hold on the state in the 2018 assembly elections. Since then, the political relationship between the ruling BJP and the Left opposition in Tripura has remained sharply adversarial, with the CPI-M frequently alleging targeted harassment of its workers and leaders. The CPI-M appealed to citizens who believe in democratic values to protest against what it termed the 'undemocratic activities' of the BJP.

BJP Yet to Respond

The BJP was yet to issue an official response to the allegations at the time of reporting. How state authorities respond to the CPI-M's demand for action against those allegedly involved will be closely watched in the coming days.