- Abhijit Nath, NET Correspondent, Tripura
Agartala, June 10, 2022 : Locals of Tripura’s Simna assembly constituency under West district expressed their resentment over the visit of Tribal Welfare minister Rampada Jamatia at an administrative camp at Daragabari School on Friday.
While attending a government programme, the Tribal Welfare minister Jamatia faced public protests for the third consecutive term. Earlier, his vehicle was attacked at Jampuijala and locals of Taidu in Gomati district protested before joining the programme.
SDPO of Mohanpur sub-division Kamal Bikash Majumder said “An administrative camp was organized at Daragabari school. The camp was supposed to be attended by the Tribal Welfare minister Rampada Jamatia and BJP leader Mangal Debbarma, who recently switched from IPFT. As soon as the minister was about to reach the spot, a large number of women protestors assembled all of a sudden and started raising slogans against the minister. As the situation was getting beyond control, the security arrangements had been strengthened and the minister along with the leader were safely moved out from the area.”
“A large contingent of TSR and police forces were deployed to control the situation. Even tear gas shells were fired to disperse the crowd. During the tussle with local women, a police constable and two other locals sustained minor injuries”, he added.
One of the local women present at the spot told reporters “Without any prior announcement, the administrative camp was organized here at Daragabari School in Simna assembly constituency. Our question is why political leaders are invited to an administrative camp. It clearly depicts the picture that a political programme is being organized in disguise of a government function.”
Pradesh BJP Janajati Morcha Vice-President and Tribal Boarding House Mohanpur subdivision chairman Mangal Debbarma said, “TIPRA Motha-backed miscreants pelted stones on the vehicles of Tribal Welfare minister Jamatia which was parked at Daragabari school field when he was addressing the camp. People sustained grievous injuries. My car and the minister’s vehicle were damaged. TIPRA Motha supporters have created a terror-like situation in the hilly areas of the state and seemed that no other political parties have the right to conduct their activities.”
Besides condemning the brutal role of police on local women, TIPRA MDC Rabindra Debbarma and MLA Brishaketu Debbarma held protests in Khowai Chowmuhani and Hejamara.
Later in the evening, SDPO Kamal Bikash Majumder said “Police registered a suo-moto case and ten preventive arrests were made.”