Agartala, May 19: Former Chief Minister and veteran CPI(M) leader Manik Sarkar on Tuesday alleged that political violence carried out by the ruling party reflects a “symptom of weakness” and asserted that no political organisation in the world can expand its influence through coercion and intimidation.
Sarkar made the remarks while interacting with media persons during his visit to the residence of CITU leader Tapan Das, whose house had allegedly come under attack a few days ago. The senior CPI(M) leader emphasized the need for a democratic environment where all political parties are given equal opportunities to function and connect with the public.
“Let all political parties have a level playing field and activists of every political party should have the freedom to establish mass contact and work among the people,” Sarkar said, underlining the importance of political rights and democratic practices.
Referring to the alleged attack on Das’s residence, Sarkar claimed the incident was politically motivated and strongly condemned the act. He stated that the entrance of the house had been damaged and vandalised, adding that such incidents do not have any place in a civilised society.
“The attack was politically motivated. The entrance of this house was ransacked and vandalised. Such politics has no place in a civilised society,” he said.
Sarkar also highlighted the historical significance of the residence, noting that it had played an important role in the development of the party’s organisational activities in the Jirania area.
“Tapan Das’s father was not only a leader of our party but also a respected elderly figure who was admired by people across political lines. The foundation of our party’s organisational activities in Jirania was laid from this very house,” he added.
The veteran leader further stated that some leaders from the ruling party had visited the residence and reportedly acknowledged the incident. According to Sarkar, they also offered compensation for the damages caused, but the family declined the offer.
“It is a fact that leaders of the ruling party came and admitted their mistake. This is a welcome step, but such incidents should never have happened in the first place,” he said.
