Opposition CPIM stages walkout over Tripura Minister’s alleged racial remark on LoP

The CPIM, Tripura’s principal opposition party, staged a walkout from the state Assembly on Tuesday in protest against an alleged racial remark made by Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ratan Lal Nath against Leader of Opposition Jitendra Chaudhury. 

The party also demanded the withdrawal of the comment.

Raising the issue in the Assembly soon after the conclusion of the question-answer session on the third day of the session, CPIM MLA Shayamal Chakraborty criticized the Minister's remark. 

He alleged that on Monday evening, while Jitendra Chaudhury was discussing the Budget, Ratan Lal Nath, in a fit of anger, remarked that the Leader of Opposition had "proved his caste."

“He could have criticized the ideology of our party, but instead, he made a caste-based comment. This is unacceptable and condemnable. A senior legislator should not make such remarks, and we demand that he retract his statement,” Chakraborty asserted.

Defending himself, Minister Ratan Lal Nath countered the opposition’s claims, saying, “Are you trying to provoke indigenous people? Do you not have other issues to raise? The people of Tripura are aware of CPIM’s negative propaganda. We are not engaging in hooliganism—your party is.”

In response, Jitendra Chaudhury remarked, “This is not civilized behavior; this is hooliganism.” 

His comment led the Speaker to instruct for the word “hooliganism” to be withdrawn. Unhappy with the decision, CPIM MLAs rushed to the well of the House in protest before eventually walking out.