Tripura violence LIVE updates: H Raja fires admin for Facebook post; PIL filed in Madras HC against TN BJP national secy

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Tripura violence LIVE updates: H Raja fires admin for Facebook post; PIL filed in Madras HC against TN BJP national secy
  • 11:51 (IST)

    6 people detained in Kolkata over vandalism

  • 11:46 (IST)

    Uproar in Rajya Sabha over vandalism of statues

    Politics surrounding statue desecration reached the Rajya Sabha today when Chairman Venkaiah Naidu had to adjourn the Upper House till 2 pm soon after it began at 11 am. 

    Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has also called for an all-party meet to discuss the stalemate in Parliament. 

  • 11:31 (IST)

    H Raja blames Facebook admin for post of Periyar, apologises

    "I have removed that admin who posted the comment about #Periyar and have deleted the post. I totally condemn vandalising statues and violence. I express heartfelt regret for my Facebook post," says H Raja.

  • 11:26 (IST)

    PIL against H Raja's Facebook post filed in Madras High Court

    A PIL has been filed in Madras High Court by advocate Surya Prakasam in wake of H Raja’s Facebook post on desecration of Periyar's statue. The High Court has agreed to hear the case this afternoon, News18 reports.

  • 11:13 (IST)

    Jan Sangh founder Syama Prasad Mukherjee's defaced bust reignites statue politics

    Prominent right-wing ideologue's statue has come under attack. Syama Prasad Mukherjee's statue has been vandalised in Kalighat area of South Kolkata. Mukherjee was founder of Jan Sangh, predecessor of Bharatiya Janata party. Five people have been detained in connection with the incident by Kolkata Police. 


    Reports said that the bust is located at Keoratala crematorium, at the heart of South Kolkata. "BJP  condemns barbaric act of vandalising statue of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh Bharat Keshri's founder Dr Syama Prasad Mukherjee at Keoratola Mohasoshan, Kolkata. We demand very strong action against culprits", said Sayantan Ghosh.

    DNA report claimed that the Radical is an ultra-Left Naxal group. 

  • 11:10 (IST)

    West Bengal BJP condemns desecration of Syama Prasad Mukherjee statue, demands strong action against culprits

    BJP's West Bengal unit condemns the barbaric act of vandalising the statue of Syama Prasad Mookerjee at Keoratola Mohasoshan, the party general secretary Sayantan Ghosh was quoted as saying by News18.

    "Demand very strong action against the culprits and also want to give away the message that you just can't take away the contribution of Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee in building West Bengal by this shameful act. We will rebuild it with more grace," Ghosh was quoted as saying. 

  • 11:02 (IST)

    BJP will always remain committed to ideals of openness and constructive politics...: Amit Shah

    Soon after the MHA released a statement on the recent toppling of statues across the country, BJP chief Amit Shah tweeted and said that as a party BJP believes that "a wide range of ideas and ideologies can coexist in India. This is exactly how the makers of our Constitution envisioned our great nation to be. India’s diversity and the vibrant spirit of debate and discussion is what strengthens us."

    In a series of tweets, the BJP chief also said that he had spoken to the party units in both Tamil Nadu and Tripura. "Any person associated with the BJP found to be involved with destroying any statue will face severe action from the party."

  • 10:41 (IST)

    MHA issues advisory to states to prevent incidents of vandalism

    Union Ministry of Home Affairs released a statement which was an advisory to states to prevent incidents of vandalism:

    "Incidents of toppling of statues have been reported from certain parts of the country. Union Ministry of Home Affairs has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents.

    MHA has asked the States that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law. The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi also spoke to the Union Home Minister in this regard."

  • 10:34 (IST)

    Have taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism, tweets Home Ministry

    MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with & booked under relevant provisions of law:

  • 10:27 (IST)

    Modi "strongly" disapproves of incidents of statue toppling, says MHA

    Days after several statues of political thinkers (most of them Communist of Left theologists) across the nation were toppled, Prime Minister Narendra Modi reportedly spoke to Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh and has expressed strong disapproval of such incident.

  • 10:13 (IST)

    Updates for 7 March begin

  • 20:37 (IST)

    Intervene to end violence in Tripura: CPM tells Modi

    "We request your immediate intervention to stop these attacks and violence and to maintain peace and normalcy in the state" before the situation "worsened", the party said in the memorandum addressed to the prime minister.

     
    The party also gave a list of the alleged violent incidents and said 514 people were injured and 196 houses set on fire.
    "After the election results were out, goons of the BJP have unleashed a reign of terror and all-round attacks on members and supporters of the CPI(M), their houses, party offices and mass organisation offices throughout the state," said the memorandum which was submitted to Modi in Parliament

  • 20:05 (IST)

    Another Lenin statue brought down in Sabroom Motor Stand

  • 18:12 (IST)

    Today it is Lenin's statue, tomorrow it'll be of Gandhi, Netaji or Swami Vivekananda: Mamata Banerjee

    “My ideology may differ with the CPI(M) but I will not tolerate it if someone tries to destroy the statues of leaders like Lenin. It is unfortunate that BJP leaders, instead of thinking about Tripura's development, are indulging in violence. They only believe in divisive politics,” Mamata was quoted as saying by Hindustan Times

    “What kind of politics is this? Today they are pulling down Lenin’s statue, tomorrow they will do the same with Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose, Rabindranath Tagore, Swami Vivekananda and Birsa Muda’s statue. Till the time I am alive, I will not tolerate this and will continue to protest against these practices,” she said. 

  • 18:00 (IST)

    When Atal Bihari Vajpayee visited Lenin's mausoleum in Russia

    In 1979, then prime minister Morarji Desai was on a state visit to Russia and Atal Bihari Vajpayee as foreign minister of India, accompanied him. In the course of his visit, Vajpayee had to visit Lenin's mausoleum in Moscow for a wreath laying ceremony. PK Budhwar, in his book A Diplomat Reveals refers to the incident and said that Vajpayee responded in his own style, when he was asked how he felt about the whole thing. "Hum mein aur Rossion me antar kya hai, hum Shiv ki pooja karte hain ye shav ki (What is the difference between us and the Russians. We worship Shiva, they worship dead body)"

  • 17:45 (IST)

    Biplab Deb meets Tripura governor, swearing-in on 9 March

  • 17:37 (IST)

    Watch: Tripura Dy Speaker, CPM leader Pabitra Kar speaks on Lenin statute's demolition

    Deputy Speaker and senior CPM leader Pabitra Kar speaks on demolition of Lenin statue and post-poll violence allegedly perpetrated by BJP workers. He compares there act to Taliban's razing of Buddha statue in Bamiyan, Afghanistan. 

    Courtesy: SS Ali | Team 101 Reporters

  • 17:08 (IST)

    Enough forces in Tripura to tackle violence: Union Home Ministry

    "Adequate central security forces and state police are available in Tripura for maintaining law and order and restoring peace," a home ministry spokesperson told PTI. 

     
    Home Minister Rajnath Singh has also called up Tripura Governor Tathagata Roy and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace and check violence till a new government is installed in the state.

  • 17:07 (IST)

    People 'oppressed' by Left may have brought down Lenin's statue: Giriraj Singh

    Union minister Giriraj Singh today said people who were "oppressed" during the 25-year Left rule in Tripura might have brought down a statue of communist icon Lenin in the state.

     
    "The Bharatiya Janata Party or its ideology does not propagate violence but the Left does," the BJP leader asserted, a day after a five-feet fibreglass statue of the former Soviet leader was pulled down by suspected BJP workers 

  • 17:03 (IST)

    CPM workers hold protest in Kolkata after Lenin statue pulled down

  • 16:59 (IST)

    Karnataka Congress president G Parameshwara criticises BJP over Tripura violence

  • 16:49 (IST)

    CPM office ransacked in Ramchandraghat constituency on Monday

    Image Courtesy: Ayub Sarkar | Team 101 Reporters 

  • 16:41 (IST)

    Tyrants risk being toppled: Tavleen Singh on demolition of Lenin's statue

  • 16:34 (IST)

    People want statues of Vivekananda and Sardar Patel, not Lenin: Tripura BJP leader

    "People of the area wanted to erect statues of national heroes like Swami Vivekananda, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, and Mother Teresa instead of Lenin since long. Whatever happened in Belonia is the outcome of public fury," BJP spokesperson Subrata Chakraborty said. The party has, however, denied its workers were involved in the incident and blamed it in 'massive anger' amid common people. 

  • 16:29 (IST)

    Skirmishes normal, overzealous workers will be reined in by law: Tathagata Roy

    "Sitaram Yechury can go on making charges. I am not going to respond to that. These skirmishes happen after elections across every state from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. These are some overzealous supporters who will be dealt with according to the law," Roy told CNN-News18. 

  • 16:24 (IST)

    CPM flays BJP's 'unprecedented reign of terror' claims scores of party workers beaten up

    CPM state secretary Bijan Dhar claimed that 514 party activists were assaulted, 1,539 houses of the party activists were attacked and 196 houses set on fire since the announcement of results. 

    He also claimed that 134 CPI(M) offices were attacked and looted, 64 party offices were set on fire and at least 90 offices of different mass organisations had been occupied allegedly by BJP-IPFT supporters. 

    PTI

    Image Courtesy: Ayub Sarkar | Team 101 Reporters

  • 16:19 (IST)

    CPM workers burn Modi's effigy in Kolkata to protest demolition of Lenin statue

  • 16:10 (IST)

    Watch: Statue of Vladimir Lenin being razed amid chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai

  • 16:08 (IST)

    IPFT may get post of Deputy CM but party mum possible names

  • 16:05 (IST)

    Watch: CPM cadres' houses burnt, party offices razed in Tripura; fire at Mandi Bazar

    The violence that swept Tripura hours after a BJP win, saw vandalisation of CPM cadres' homes and shops while the Left party's offices were razed. Here is a video of the damage caused in Mandi Bazar on Monday. 

    Courtesy: Ayub Sarkar | 101 Reporters

  • 15:59 (IST)

    Meanwhile, state gears up to get new chief minister 

  • 15:55 (IST)

    Media reports say Rajnath Singh spoke to Tripura governor, DGP

    Amid reports of sporadic violence in Tripura, Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday spoke to the State governor and the DGP and asked them to ensure peace till a new government is installed, an official said.

    During the telephonic calls, Governor Tathagata Roy and DGP A.K. Shukla apprised the Union Home Minister about the prevailing situation in Tripura, PTI reported.

  • 15:50 (IST)

    ABVP workers vandalise Dashrath Deb Memorial College

    Students affiliated with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, BJP's student wing, ransacked Dashrath Deb Memorial College in Khowai on Monday.

    Image Courtesy Ayub Sarkar | Team 101 reporters

  • 15:38 (IST)

    CPM cadres' houses burnt, party offices razed in Tripura within 48 hours of BJP coming to power: NDTV

  • 15:35 (IST)

    Ram Madhav tweets on demolition of Lenin statue, later deletes tweet

  • 15:28 (IST)

    After defilation of Lenin statue in Tripura, Tamil Nadu BJP leader calls Periyar casteist; Tamil group lodges FIR

  • 15:16 (IST)

    Sunil Deodhar says no place for intolerance, vandalism

    Speaking to NDTV, BJP leader Sunil Deodhar who was in charge of electioneering in Tripura, said that the BJP believes that others have the freedom of holding there own ideology, which can be in contrast with our own. But there is no space for violence. Unfortunately this happened when there was no government there."

  • 15:09 (IST)

    My tweet was of abstract position: Tripura governor defends tweet on felling of Lenin's statue

    " I am not responsible for it. What I tweeted was of abstract position. A new government has not been sworn in yet; reading the tweet in its own way," Tathagata Roy told CNN-News 18. 

  • 15:06 (IST)

    Tathagata Roy tweets on vandalism of Lenin statue; CPM outrages

    Tripura governor Tathagata Roy tweeted out the picture of the Lenin statue being felled by the so-called BJP workers and commented on the fact that how a diplomatically elected government can undo things done by there predecessors. 

    The comment outraged the Left party, which called it "shameful". "It is shameful that Governor is celebrating the attack."

  • 15:00 (IST)

    BJP is political front of 'fascist RSS': Sitaram Yechury

    CPM General Secretary said that the BJP was merely a political mask of the deeply "fascistic" RSS ideology. He said that the RSS was banned in the past, and the condition to remove the ban was that they will never enter politics. That's why they needed a political front and that's how the BJP was born. Yechury also said that BJP thrives on political violence. 

  • 14:56 (IST)

    Narendra Modi calls BJP's victory in Tripura 'a victory of ideology'

    Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday dubbed the BJP's win over the Left in Tripura a "victory of ideology" and said the party needs to work hard to maintain its winning electoral streak, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar told reporters.

    Modi was addressing the BJP parliamentary party meeting, where he was greeted with the slogan, 'Jeet hamari jari hai, ab Karnataka ki bari hai' (Our winning run continues, now is the turn of Karnataka).

    Click here to read the full PTI report.

  • 14:51 (IST)

    BJP indulged in opportunism for narrow poll gains: Sitaram Yechury

    Speaking to the press after vandalism was reported in Tripura, CPM general secretary said that the BJP is an opportunist party who rode to power on the shoulders of parties who had gained strength in the region by fanning separatist sentiments. He said that they have shown there streak for opportunism in other state as well but we will reorganize e ourselves and fight their divisive ideology. 

  • 14:50 (IST)

    Subramanian Swamy calls Lenin a terrorist

  • 14:48 (IST)

    All ideologies should be supported: JD(U) MP

    "This is wrong. People of this nation believe in different ideologies. It is true that Lenin's statues were demolished after end of ruling in Russia. But India is not Russia," The Indian Express quoted JD(U) MP Harivansh as saying.

  • 14:47 (IST)

    BJP, RSS anti-democratic, fascistic: Sitaram Yechury

    The true face of BJP and RSS is anti-democratic and fascistic. It is our responsibility to fight them and we will do that," Yechury said. 

  • 14:36 (IST)

    CPM accuses BJP of 'unprecented reign of terror'
     
    The CPM accused the BJP and the IPFT of unleashing an "unprecedented reign of terror" throughout the state after the election results were announced on 3 March. CPM state secretary Bijan Dhar claimed that 514 party activists were assaulted, 1,539 houses of the party activists were attacked and 196 houses set on fire since the announcement of results. He also claimed that 134 CPM offices were attacked and looted, 64 party offices were set on fire and at least 90 offices of different mass organisations had been occupied allegedly by BJP-IPFT supporters.

  • 14:35 (IST)

    CPM says slogans raised, police arrest one
     
    "After pulling down the statue, 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' slogan was raised," Datta said. Superintendent of Police of South Tripura district, Monchak Ipper said the driver of  the JCB excavator machine was arrested and later released on bail. The statue would be handed over to the authorities of Belonia Municipal Corporation, the SP said.

  • 14:33 (IST)

    Lenin statue pulled down, CPM holds BJP responsible
     
    A statue of communist icon Lenin has been pulled down by some people with an excavator machine at Belonia in South Tripura district, the police said, with the CPM holding BJP workers responsible for it. Days after the Left Front was voted out of power in the state, Tripura CPM district secretary Tapas Datta said the five-feet-tall fibre glass statue, which was unveiled by the party's politburo member Prakash Karat a few months ago, was pulled down allegedly by BJP workers on Monday at College Square in Belonia, about 110 kilometres from Agartala.

  • 14:17 (IST)

    Section 144 imposed across 13 police stations

    Section 144 imposed across 13 police stations in West Tripura district between 8 pm and 6 am on 5 and 6 March.

    Input from Ayub Sarkar/101Reporters

Tripura violence latest updates: After a BJP office in Tamil Nadu was attacked, party national secretary H Raja expressed regret for his Facebook post that said statues of rationalist movement founder EVRamasamy or Periyar would be razed to the ground in the state. Early on Wednesday a petrol bomb was hurled at a BJP office around 500 km from here in Coimbatore by unidentified persons.

Later in a fresh Facebook post on Wednesday, Raja expressed his heartfelt regret for his Tuesday's post, which he claimed was a message posted by his social media administrator without his permission and hence he had removed it.

Prominent right-wing ideologue's statue has come under attack. Syama Prasad Mukherjee's statue has been vandalised in Kalighat area of South Kolkata. Mukherjee was founder of Jan Sangh, predecessor of Bharatiya Janata party. Five people have been detained in connection with the incident by Kolkata Police.

The Union Home Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday and said that the ministry has taken serious note of such incidents of vandalism. Rajnath Singh has expressed his strong disapproval of such incidents, the statement further added. "MHA has asked the states that they must take all necessary measures to prevent such incidents. Persons indulging in such acts must be sternly dealt with and booked under relevant provisions of law."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has strongly disapproved incidents of vandalism reported from certain parts of the country, ANI reports. Incidents of toppling statues have been reported from certain parts of the country.

Two statues of communist icon Vladimir Lenin were brought down in South Tripura, the police said, as the CPM and its arch-rival in Bengal, the Trinamool Congress, blamed the BJP for the incidents.

The statues were pulled down just days after the Left was defeated in Assembly polls by the BJP and its ally IPFT, which together won a two-third majority in the House in a state where the CPI(M) was in power for 25 years.

A five-foot high fibre glass statue of Lenin was toppled at Belonia yesterday, while a smaller figure was razed at Sabroom two days ago, district superintendent of police Monchak Ipper said.

Tripura chief minister-designate Biplab Deb has urged the people of the state to maintain peace and said anybody indulging in violence would be punished.

Protests in Tripura on Tuesday. Image: Ayub Sarkar/101Reporters

Protests in Tripura on Tuesday. Image: Ayub Sarkar/101Reporters

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to state Governor Tathagatha Roy and the director general of police, asking them to ensure peace till a new government was installed, an official said in New Delhi.

The demolition at Belonia evoked a sharp reaction from Trinamool Congress chief and Mamata Banerjee, who blamed the BJP and the RSS for the incidents.

Tripura CPI(M) district secretary Tapas Datta alleged that the statue, unveiled by the party's Politburo member and former general secretary Prakash Karat a few months ago, was razed by BJP workers yesterday at College Square in Belonia, about 110km from here.

"After pulling down the statue, slogans of 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' were raised,'' Datta told PTI.

Ipper said the driver of the JCB excavator machine allegedly used to bring down the Lenin figure at Belonia was arrested and a notice sent to its owner.

The statue would be handed over to the authorities of the Belonia Municipal Corporation, he said.

The incidents took a controversial turn with a tweet posted by Governor Roy.

''What one democratically elected government can do another democratically elected government can undo. And vice versa'', he tweeted.

CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, who criticised the incidents, described the tweet as "unfortunate".

''The tweet by the governor is unfortunate ... This shows how constitutional posts are being undermined," he said.

Asked by a TV news channel for his comment, Roy said, "'Yechury may go on making charges. It is not my duty to reply.''

Prohibitory orders were clamped on several areas of West Tripura district including - Srinagar, Lefunga, Mandai, Amtali, Radhapur, Arundhatinagar, Jirania, Mohanpur following post-poll violence, district magistrate Milind Ramteke said.

The CPI(M) accused the BJP and the IPFT of unleashing an "unprecedented reign of terror" across the state after the election results were announced on March 3.

Yechury alleged in Kolkata that 514 party activists have been assaulted, 1,539 houses of party activists attacked and 196 houses set ablaze in the last few days.

He also claimed 134 CPI(M) offices were attacked and looted, 64 party offices set on fire and 90 offices of mass organisations occupied by BJP-IPFT supporters.

The party top brass including Yechury and Politburo members Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat and Surjya Kanta Mishra led a rally in Kolkata, which ended in front of a statue of Lenin at Dharmatalla in the heart of the city.

Tripura CPI(M) state secretary Bijan Dhar appealed to the state administration and the BJP to "stop the violence".

''In a democratic system a change of government is usual, but violence in such a grave form is not acceptable," he said.

The police today said it had received complaints of post-poll violence from various parts of the state since Sunday night.

Senior CPI leader D Raja said while one party may win and another party lose an election, it did not mean either could indulge in vandalism.

''Lenin is considered one of the tallest leaders of the world. We should have that respect,'' he told a TV news channel.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the RSS-BJP for their alleged involvement in the pulling down of Lenin's statues.

"It is not one's job to pull down the statue of an icon after coming to power in a state," she said at a public meeting in Bankura in West Bengal.

Tripura's BJP vice-president Subal Bhowmick had alleged yesterday that CPI(M) activists assaulted 49 BJP supporters, 17 of whom had to be hospitalised.


Published Date: Mar 07, 2018 11:46 AM | Updated Date: Mar 07, 2018 11:51 AM