tripura left protest
Image: Northeast Now

Tripura’s opposition Left Front brought out a protest rally alleging a state minister touching his woman ministerial colleague in an indecent manner during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally in Agartala on Saturday last.

Also read: Tripura BJP cries foul even as sports minister’s ‘indecent’ video goes viral

Women’s wing of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA) brought out the protest rally in Agartala and demanded for sacking state sports and youth affairs minister Manoj Kanti Deb for touching indecently the lone woman Cabinet minister Santana Chakma on the stage from where Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, and others addressed the public gathering.

The protesters led by AIDWA leader Rama Das went through the streets of capital Agartala and raised slogans against the minister.

Later during a press conference, CPI-M outgoing state secretary and senior leader Bijan Dhar on the same ground demanded the resignation of Manoj Kanti Deb.

Dhar said, “The most dangerous incident that happened which got released in the social media, in presence of the Prime Minister during broad daylight in front of the huge gathering in the stage a male minister touched a female minister in an indecent manner. He cannot say that purposefully he did not do that. He is the chief of all attacks being organized in Kamalpur right from the first day. Video is there, and now on behalf of Left Front we shall say if he does not resign on his own then the Chief Minister should sack and arrest him.”

He further added, “If in broad daylight, in presence of the Prime Minister, in the stage if such an incident can take place then one can understand what is the condition of present law and order in Tripura.”

He said that it appeared publicly on various social media that Deb put his hand on the waist of social welfare and social education minister Santana Chakma, a young tribal leader.

Dhar, also a central committee member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), claimed that incidents of rape, murder, and kidnap have drastically increased after the BJP-led government came to power in Tripura 11 months ago.

However, Minister Manoj Kanti Deb speaking to a local media house over phone denied the allegation and said that Left Front which has no issue is conspiring to defame the government with false things which the people of the state understand.

Pinaki Das is Northeast Now Correspondent in Agartala. He can be reached at: [email protected]