To a question about the vandalising of the bust of Syama Prasad Mookerjee in the city on March 7, Tripathi said, "This is unfortunate. It should not have happened."
"We should pay respect to all persons, all important persons, including Syama Prasad Mookerjee," he told reporters on the sidelines of a cultural event here.
Statues of prominent political personalties such as Vladimir Lenin, Dr BR Ambedkar and Periyar were vandalised or defaced across in the country this week.
The chain started after Lenin's statue was pulled down in Tripura on March 5.
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