Report

SKELETON IN CUPBOARD OF TRIPURA CM

The shocking news of discovery of human skeleton from the official residence of Tripura Chief Minister has created a wave of popular protests all over the tiny state of Tripura. As a result of the popular agitations, a CBI enquiry was ordered to look into the matter.

Candidates for Goa bye-elections

Following candidates have been selected for the ensuing bye-elections to the Goa Legislative Assembly: 11- Taleigao _ A. Babush Monsarat, 14- Cumbarjua _ Pandurang Madkekar, 28- Benaulim _ Left to NCP, 30- Margao _ Digambar Kamat, 40- Poinguinim _ Isidore Fernandes. This was announced by AICC general secretary, Shri Janardan Dwivedi in a press note on May 9, 2005.

B.D Kalla Takes Charge

JAIPUR: The Congress Legislature Party leader in Rajasthan, Dr. B.D. Kalla, who was also appointed as the PCC president by the Congress president, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, took charge of office here on 13 April from former PCC president, Shri Narayan Singh. Present on the occasion were Union Minister, Shri Namonarayan Meena, Shri Balkavi Bairagi, Shri Narayan Singh, Shri Shivcharan Mathur, Shri Jagganath Pahadia, Dr. Karan Singh Yadav, Shri Sachin Pilot, PCC office-bearers, MLAs and office-bearers of the frontal organizations, according to RPCC secretary, Shri Suraj Khatri.

Nirupam Joins Congress

NEW DELHI: Over a month after he quit the Rajya Sabha, the former Shiv Sena MP, Sanjay Nirupam, was admitted to the Congress at a brief function here on 25 April. Shri Nirupam was welcomed by the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress chief, Smt. Prabha Rau, the Mumbai Congress president, Shri Gurudas Kamat, and the two AICC secretaries, Shri B.K. Hari Prasad and Shri Bharat Solanki, at the residence of the AICC general secretary, Smt. Margaret Alva. Shri Nirupam said he had bid farewell to the Sena ideology. "I do not subscribe to the Hindutva that seeks to divide people," he said, adding that he might be observing rituals as per tradition, but believed in the basic Hindu value of secularism. Smt. Rau said there was no truth in the report that Shri Nirupam's entry was opposed by a section of minorities.

 

The smallest of the North-eastern states, Tripura has been a fertile land of terrorism for the last many decades. Life has become difficult in this state as a result of terrorist attacks, murders, extortion and kidnappings, which are very common and daily occurrences in the state. The function of tea estates in the state has reached a standstill because of kidnappings and murders of the estate managers. The rubber plantation industry, once profitable, has almost ceased its operations because of the rising incidences of looting and putting on fire to the plantations. The agricultural lands of those other than the tribal people are now laying waste without cultivation because of rising terrorist activities. Banks can't function properly as the banking operations are not possible due to daylight robberies. The functioning of ONGC has become very difficult because of the challenging and disruptive attitude of these terrorist forces.

Except for a brief period of five years, Tripura has been under the CPM rule for the last 22 years. The state is on the verge of total ruin under the CPM rule. Common man of the state is leading a life of fear. It is not even possible to travel freely after three in the evening in many places of the state. Transport vehicles ply on the road only at certain times that too with a lot of security. According to the state assembly records, during the last five years 1529 murders, 1269 kidnappings, 583 rapes and 4228 suicides took place in the state.

It is common practice in the state to convert murders into suicide. I have met the family members of many people who were murdered and many who have lost their limbs in Marxist attacks and listened to the woeful stories of the families of many Congress workers. I saw their sufferings personally. Political murders take place in the state without any hindrance. The mafia like rule and activities of the armed party comrades by making the state police mere scarecrows is unbelievable. They take the government works and contracts under the gun- point and the money from government coffers flow into their pockets without any difficulty by doing third quality works. CPM leaders and those are in the power help them out of the way to get such things done.

Tripura is much ahead of others in crimes against women. The DGP in charge of law and order of the state confirms this. Some shocking incidents against women were recently revealed and confirmed by the National Women's Commission. But the state women's commission is keeping silent.

The appointment of hundreds of SPOs only on political considerations led to many allegations in the state. These CPM workers were appointed by ignoring all the appointment rules. More shocking is that, there are allegations galore about the way of CPM in using these people for election booth capturing and to cast bogus votes. Moreover, these people with criminal backgrounds are being used by the CPM to disrupt Congress functionaries and to establish CPM supremacy in the villages.

CPM cannot escape from the responsibility of never ending terrorist activities in the state. The state is getting more than enough funds from the Central government to check terrorist activities. The Centre is doing the fencing work of Indo-Bangladesh border and also ensured the presence of army for more security. Why the state has not succeeded in preventing terrorist activities in spite of all such efforts?

Occasionally pictures and news items of surrendering terrorists with their weapons appear in media. But, those surrendering to armed forces and political leaders again take the same path. In reality, there is a parallel rule everywhere except urban areas. The CPM tribal organisation " Ganamukhi" is mainly responsible for such a situation. As anarchy is suitable for the growth of CPM, they are very reluctant and show no political will to prevent terrorism and ensure a peaceful life .The confessional statement of the former leader of A.T.T.F (All Tripura Tiger Force), accuses the ministers and top leaders of CPM as the think tank of terrorism.

The CPM attitude of widening the racial gap between the Bengalis and tribals of the state to create and maintain vote bank, is strengthening terrorist activities in the state. Ignoring and not taking any drastic steps to prevent the loss of hundreds of valuable human lives and check the activities of 14 rebel groups and is sheer criminal negligence. Killing hundreds of innocent tribals instead facing the terrorists, evoke widespread protests all over the state.

Congress MLAs of the state never get adequate police protection. Security arrangements for former Congress MLAs have been withdrawn. All out efforts to discourage political activities of the opposition parties have been continuing for the last many years. Sri Birajit Sinha, president of the Tripura PCC, was sent to jail without any qualms and the incident was indeed a shocking one to the Congress workers of the state.

It is compulsory that all the beneficiaries of all the development and other government projects should be CPM members. The state government is viewing the common man of the state as two types of citizens. Many of the state government officials are not even ready to enter the names of the Congress workers into the ration cards.

The autonomous districts councils of the state, which are included in the sixth schedule of constitution, with an aim to preserve and maintain the cultural heritage of tribal people and to ensure their economic and social progress have become puppets in the hands of state administration.

Even the funds, which are earmarked for certain programmes in the state budget, go lapse due to lack of proper planning. Development has become a stunted process.

Poverty, unemployment, illiteracy and infectious diseases, have become hallmarks of modern revolutionary Tripura. When I visited Agartala after a gap of ten years, nothing was changed. The only new structure is a multi-storeyed building, the headquarters of the state CPM, which reminds one of AKG Centre in Thiruvanthapuram. Same old dilapidated roads, same unhygienic drainage pipes, same old yellow-black taxi cars, autos, small hutments made of bamboo. No change, no progress. But significant changes are visible in the CPM. A wealthy party. Poverty ridden people