Modi says BJP ideology won in Tripura; Lenin statue razed: 10 developments

Tripura violence: A statue of Left icon and Communist leader Vladimir Lenin was demolished using a bulldozer at Belonia town in South Tripura

After the Tripura Assembly election results 2018, which saw the BJP demolishing the CPI(M)-led Left Front and winning a two-thirds majority together with its ally, the IPFT, there have been reports of sporadic violence and clashes among rival political groups in different parts of the state. Section 144 has been imposed in several violence-affected areas of Tripura. 

Also, a statue of communist icon Vladimir Lenin was demolished at Belonia town in South Tripura on Monday. 

On Tuesday, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to the state's Governor and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace till a new government was installed. Singh was in the Northeast to attend the swearing-in of the Conrad Sangma-led Meghalaya government. 

In the recently concluded Assembly elections, the state witnessed a change in rule after 25 years. The BJP-IPFT coalition swept the February 18 polls, the results of which were declared on Saturday, winning 43 of the 59 seats that went to the polls. The BJP secured 35 seats in the 60-member Assembly, while its ally IPFT, a tribal-based party, won eight seats. 

The BJP has warned its leaders and supporters of "stern" action if they are found to be involved in "post-poll violence" in Tripura.

Here are the top 10 developments around the cases of post-poll violence in Tripura: 

1. BJP scored ideological victory in Tripura: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday termed the BJP's performance in Tripura an "ideological victory" and said the message should be spread across the country to maintain its winning streak.

Modi was addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Parliamentary Party meeting, where he was felicitated by the party leaders amid chants of "Jeet Hamari Jaari Hai, Ab Karnataka Ki Baari Hai" (our winning streak continues, now it is Karnataka's turn).

"The party's victory in Tripura is the victory of BJP's ideology because it was the citadel of Left since the last 25 years. We will have to maintain this winning streak by working hard," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar quoted Modi as having said in the meeting.

2. The CPI(M) charged the BJP with "unleashing a reign of terror" on Left workers in Tripura and sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in bringing the violence to an end before the situation "worsened".

In a memorandum to the prime minister, the party claimed the BJP had begun attacking Left supporters in the northeastern state immediately after the results of the Assembly polls were declared.

"We request your immediate intervention to stop these attacks and violence and to maintain peace and normalcy in the state" before the situation "worsened", it said in the memorandum addressed to the prime minister.

3. Mamata slams BJP for razing Lenin statute

Sounding a warning to the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has taken power in Tripura, the Trinamool Congress chief said she would not accept such activities despite having "a ideological fight" with the Communist Party of India-Marxist.

"If you feel just because you have come to power, you will demolish the statue of Marx, Lenin, Gandhiji, Netaji, Swami Vivekananda, we won't accept that. I have fought with the CPI-M. We also came to power after 34 years. Please remember, our slogan was 'we want change, not revenge'.

"So despite the CPI-M carrying out so much atrocities on us, we did not pay them back in the same coin. This is not our nature. Whatever is happening there (Tripura) is not democracy."

4) Swamy defends pulling down of 'terrorist' Lenin's statue in Tripura

On Monday, a statue of Left icon and Communist leader Vladimir Lenin was also demolished at Belonia town in South Tripura with the help of a bulldozer. BJP leader Subramanian Swamy today defended pulling down of a statue of communist icon Lenin in Tripura, saying the late Russian leader was "a terrorist" and questioned if the statue of such a person could be installed in India.

5) RSS loyalist Biplab to be Tripura's 11th Chief Minister: Biplab Kumar Deb, the Chief Minister-designate of Tripura, has been a long-time RSS volunteer who is largely credited for the BJP's turnaround in the state elections -- winning 35 out 60 assembly seats and demolishing one of the last citadels of the Left Front in the country.

Deb replaced Sudhindra Dasgupta, the longest-serving BJP state president, in January, 2015 after he was handpicked by BJP's "Prabhari" (central incharge) Sunil Deodhar to lead the party in the state.

6) Section 144 imposed: Section 144 has been imposed in several violence-affected areas of Tripura, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday. 

Singh asked the Governor and the DGP to check all kinds of violence and ensure peace till a new government was installed in Tripura. 

7) BJP blames CPI(M) 'migrants', warns of stern action: On Monday, BJP Vice-President Subal Bhowmick said at a press meet that a section of unidentified BJP supporters, who have migrated to the party from the CPI(M), were creating unrest in parts of Tripura.  

"Anyone found to be involved in post-poll violence would be immediately expelled and legal action will be initiated against them," he said.  

Bhowmick added that the situation was being closely monitored by the party. He warned that no one would be spared if they were found creating tension in the state. 

Further, he alleged that CPI(M) activists, too, "assaulted" 49 BJP supporters, 17 of whom had to be hospitalised. 

8) CPI(M) claims 240 people injured in attacks: On its end, the CPI(M) has alleged that supporters and activists of the BJP-Indigenous People's Front of Tripura (BJP-IPFT) alliance were terrorising its workers since the announcement of election results on March 3. The Left party also accused them of burning its party offices. 

CPI(M) office secretary Haripada Das said over 240 people were injured in attacks on party offices, offices of Left trade unions, and homes of prominent leaders in the past 48 hours.  

9) D Raja says violence not acceptable in democracy: Reacting to the news of vandalism emanating from the state, CPI leader D Raja said that he strongly condemned the violence, which was not acceptable in a democracy. 

"We are a multi-party democracy, some parties win and some lose, does not mean they can resort to vandalism and violence like demolition of Lenin statue will take place. Law needs to take its course," he said.

10) PM Modi, Amit Shah will take a call on IPFT's demand: Further, while answering a question on the IPFT's demand for a separate state for tribals, Deb said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP party chief would take a decision on this. 

"BJP President Amit Shah and Prime Minister Modi know how to give right direction to public's suggestion," he said.

With agency inputs