Members of Parliament belonging to the Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Monday, 22 November, met Home Minister Amit Shah to talk about the alleged violence against TMC workers in Tripura.
The meet with Shah came after the MPs protested outside the Ministry of Home Affairs earlier on Monday over allegedly being denied an appointment with Shah.
TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee told ANI that Shah had assured them of seeking a report on the matter from Tripura CM Biplab Deb.
Meanwhile, three journalists were allegedly assaulted outside the East Agartala women’s police station in Tripura West on Sunday evening, 21 November, Newslaundry reported. A woman journalist was allegedly heckled as well. A male journalist working for Ab Tak Khabar, who had come to get a video byte from Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh, was allegedly beaten up after he named the organisation he worked for.
On Monday, Sixteen Trinamool Congress (TMC) MPs had sought an appointment with Shah over the alleged police brutality in Tripura. MPs, including Derek O'Brien, Sukhendu Sekhar Roy, Santanu Sen, and Mala Roy, arrived at the party office in Delhi on Monday, 22 November.
The TMC has accused the BJP of orchestrating the attacks and alleged that the State police was sheltering the perpetrators from the ruling party.
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A security personnel with a sniffer dog checks the belongings of a delegation of TMC MPs during their protest outside the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) over alleged police brutality in Tripura, in New Delhi.
(Photo: Ajay Rana/The Quint)
Meeting in the Backdrop of TMC Leader's Arrest
The meeting comes a day after the Tripura Police arrested TMC Youth President Saayoni Ghosh on the charges of promoting enmity between people, attempt to murder, criminal intimidation, and criminal conspiracy.
On Saturday, 20 November, Ghosh had allegedly disturbed a municipal poll rally of BJP leader and state Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb at Ashram Chowmuhani area.
Ghosh had responded to the FIR saying, "I have been charged with attempt to murder for saying khela hobe."
In a video of the incident that has surfaced online, Ghosh can be seen saying "khela hobe" from a car as it crosses a gathering that was reportedly being addressed by Biplab Deb.
'Arrests on Trumped-Up Charges'
TMC MP Derek O'Brien earlier took to Twitter to state that 'brutal attacks' are taking place on TMC officials in Tripura.
Meanwhile, speaking on what took place on Sunday, TMC MP Sushmita Dev said, “They vandalized the PS and attacked us twice yesterday. The DGP & IGP are not available on phone. Apparently, the DGP is in some conference with the PM, whereas his state is in chaos. Clearly, the law & order situation is not a priority for the govt (sic)”, news agency ANI quoted her as saying.
She added, “Our workers have been beaten, our cars have been broken; there's a false case against Saayoni Ghosh and we expect protection from the Tripura police.”
Furthermore, informing that they haven’t yet received an appointment, TMC MP Saugata Roy said, “We haven't gotten an appointment to meet yet. If we meet, we meet; if we don't, we don't. This attack on democracy has been going on for the past 4 months. BJP wants TMC's programs to shut with the help of goons and police, but we continue fighting. They're scared that Tripura is slipping from under their feet,” ANI reported.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a contempt plea of TMC claiming that the law and order situation in Tripura is "worsening" by the day ahead of civil body elections.
The Court had earlier asked Tripura Police authorities to ensure that no political party is prevented from exercising their rights in accordance with law for political campaigning in a peaceful manner, ANI reported.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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