Tripura Left Front demands paramilitary forces for civic body poll

The Left Front Committee of Tripura has demanded deployment of paramilitary forces for the forthcoming civic body election as the houses of many of the candidates, party workers and leaders were extensively coming under attacks

Agartala: The Left Front Committee of Tripura has demanded deployment of paramilitary forces for the forthcoming civic body election as the houses of many of the candidates, party workers and leaders were extensively coming under attacks allegedly by ruling BJP backed goons.

A memorandum was submitted before the ML Dey, State Election Commissioner (SEC) on Wednesday saying that the Left Front has apprised the open declaration of BJP MLA Surajit Datta in the presence of Chief Minister to rob the constitutional right of the voters to cast vote to the candidate of their choice.

“Besides, since the declaration of urban body election, the ruling BJP has unleashed violence against the Left Front candidates. The campaigns are blocked, flag, festoons, banners and other campaign material were either removed or destroyed. The houses of many of the candidates, Left Front cadres, leaders were extensively ransacked, brick-batted, inmates threatened with dire consequences. Some of the left party cadres were physically assaulted and sent to hospital for treatment”, the memorandum read.

Left Front says they have valid reasons to apprehend that the ruling BJP shall take a desperate drive to rig poll in all the urban bodies. The Left Front has demanded to the SEC that all the polling booths must be under the scanner of webcasting to ascertain genuine voters cast vote in the voting chamber and no unwanted persons can interfere with the casting of vote by genuine voters.

“Ensure police protection for opposition polling agents who appear in the booths and at their return after poll is over. Ensure flushing out of all the mischievous non-voter elements from all the hotels, lodges, bungalows, government rest houses etc. before 48 hours of the commencement of poll”, Left Front demanded.

They said in the memorandum that prior to the poll day, a mixed para-military contingent must be deployed in the poll-bound areas to take domination over the terror-mongers so that the electors can appear in the booths without fear. “Strictly prohibit movement of more than 2 two-wheelers together in the poll-bound areas. Issue directions to the government to refrain from announcing new schemes and projects till the election is over for the proper and strict implementation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC)."