Tripura’s Leader of the Opposition, Jitendra Chaudhury, today accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of increasingly attacking democratic rights to divert public attention from its governance failures.

Chaudhury cited a recent incident in Notun Nagar, where the CPI(M) office was attacked by a group of miscreants just hours before a scheduled protest rally. Reports indicate that youths from four Barajala Mandals stormed the office while preparations were underway. Two microphone operators were seriously injured during the attack, and office equipment was vandalized. The assailants fled when confronted. The injured were immediately taken to GB Hospital, and police from the Airport Police Station, along with central paramilitary forces, rushed to the scene.

During the meeting, Chaudhury addressed pressing issues affecting the public, including rising electricity and water tariffs and the implementation of smart meters. He alleged that BJP officials provoked youths to disrupt opposition programs and criticized the government for failing to increase electricity production over the last seven and a half years, despite repeatedly raising tariffs. He highlighted that electricity rates have been hiked five times during the BJP’s tenure, questioning claims by the state power minister that international gas prices were responsible.

Chaudhury also pointed to alleged corruption within the state administration, citing a minister from an Antyodaya family in 2018 whose brother reportedly purchased a shop in Dharmanagar for Rs 4 crore, making him the state’s highest taxpayer.

Reiterating the CPI(M)’s role in Tripura, Chaudhury emphasized that the opposition aims to provide constructive criticism to strengthen democracy and hold the government accountable, rather than obstruct development.