BJP scared of TMC delegation to Tripura, DGP assured us to look into attack on party office: Ghosh

Agartala, Oct 8 (PTI) Senior Trinamool Congress leader Kunal Ghosh on Wednesday claimed that the BJP in Tripura is "scared" of the arrival of the party's six-member delegation from Kolkata in the wake of an attack at the TMC headquarters in the northeastern state allegedly by the ruling party workers.

The delegation was stuck at Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport here for over three hours after four vehicles parked for its use were chased away by BJP-backed supporters, the party alleged.

Later, the delegation met Director General of Police Anurag Dhanakar who assured it of probing into the attack on the party office on Monday, said Ghosh, a former Rajya Sabha MP.

"We have taken up three specific points before the DGP. The party wants the arrest those who had attacked the party headquarters in presence of police personnel. We have the photographs and visual footage of the attackers," Ghosh told reporters.

He said the delegation also urged the DGP to look into old cases including attacks on the party's general secretary Abhishek Banerjee and MP Sushsmita Dev during the 2021 elections.

Ghosh said the police officer assured the delegation to undertake a probe into the attack on Trinamool Congress's headquarters near Motorstand.

"We have sought an appointment to meet Governor N Indrasena Reddy and are waiting to get a call from the Raj Bhavan," he said.

Earlier, Ghosh claimed that the BJP in Tripura is "scared" of the TMC delegation as the vehicles were not available and they got stuck in the airport for three hours.

To protest the delay, TMC leaders staged demonstration inside the airport and expressed anger over the role of the state government.

"We landed around 11 am and were set to move towards the city to visit our party headquarters, which was vandalised by BJP-backed goons on Monday. Unfortunately, the vehicles parked at the airport were chased away, forcing us to stay in the airport for hours," Ghosh told reporters.

He claimed that when the delegation offered to proceed to the party office by auto-rickshaws or on foot, police denied permission.

"Police assured us they would arrange vehicles with security so that we could visit our party headquarters. This is very unfortunate, and it appears the BJP is scared of the arrival of a six-member party delegation," he added.

Ghosh asserted that BJP leaders and ministers are free to move in West Bengal, citing former chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb's recent visit to Kolkata for a marriage ceremony.

Party spokesperson Sudip Raha alleged a "jungle raj" has been imposed in Tripura, preventing opposition leaders from moving freely.

"We were waiting at the airport for more than three hours, but could not move. Denying transportation to the party delegation exposes that the double-engine government has bowed to BJP goons. A jungle raj has been installed in Tripura," he said.

After over three hours, the Trinamool Congress leaders were finally escorted to their headquarters, which had been vandalised in an apparent retaliation for an attack on a BJP MP in north Bengal.

Responding to the TMC's accusation, BJP state vice president Papia Dutta said they should visit flood-affected North Bengal and distribute relief.

"The Trinamool Congress delegation should have visited North Bengal instead of staging drama at Agartala. It shows the party's insensitivity towards the woes of flood-affected people," she said. PTI PS NN