Strike called by Congress evokes partial response

A 24-hr general strike in Tripura called by opposition Congress demanding CBI probe into the assassination of former health minister Bimmal Sinha and resignation of the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar evoked partial response today.
Shops and markets were closed in the capital town and the vehicles did not ply but attendance in government offices was almost normal.
Schools, colleges, financial institutions and banks were mostly closed throughout the state.
The protesters led by Tripura Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) Secretary Shaha Alam and Vice-President Haripada Das picketed in front of the SDM office at Sonamura in Sipahijala district.
Police said SDM and other employees of the office entered their work place amid strong security.

In the district headquarters of Unakoti at Kailashahar, school, colleges, banks and financial institutions, shops and markets were closed and the attendance in courts, District Magistrate's office and Kailashahar subdivision office was thin.

The strike, however, did not evoke any response in the two districts of Gomati and South Tripura.
Police said, many Congress leaders and activists were arrested during picketing and kept in temporary jails.
The state government had appointed a judicial inquiry commission headed by Justice (retd) M A Yusuf over the assassination of former health minister of the state on March 31, 1998.
The report of the commission was tabled in the Assembly on March 23 following a directive from the Tripura High Court and the content of the report was discussed on April 7 amid uproar in the house.

TPCC president Birajit Sinha told reporters that the strike was called because the report was tabled in the Assembly after 16 years of its submission by Justice Yusuf and the state government did not cooperate with the commission.
"We demanded CBI probe to unearth the truth and CM's resignation because he failed to identify the killers and maintain law and order in the state," Sinha said.