YTF threatens 'lockdown' in Tripura if no action taken against Gomati DM for insulting Tipra Motha chief

Agartala: Youth Tipra Federation (YTF), the youth wing of Tipra Motha party on Tuesday threatened to go for a "Covid-like lockdown" in Tripura if the government fails to take action against the district magistrate of Gomati in the next seven days for disrespecting party chief.

Tipra Motha party is an ally of the BJP-led coalition government in the state.

The ultimatum came a day after the YTF staged a protest in front of the Gomati district magistrate's (DM) office.

The YTF activists had locked the main entrance of the office demanding action against DM Tariat Kanti Chakma for disrespecting the Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma.

"Our leaders and supporters staged a massive protest in front of the DM's office at Udaipur on Monday. The YTF also organised agitation in the SDM offices at Amarpur and Korbook in Gomati district protesting the disrespect shown by the district magistrate," YTF president Suraj Debbarma told the reporters.

He said Tipra Motha's youth organisation will go for lockdown across the state like it witnessed during the COVID-19 pandemic if the government doesn't take action against the DM within a week.

He said, disrespecting the Maharaja (Pradyot Kishore Manikya Debbarma) is a serious issue.

If the government can transfer an IAS officer for creating a ruckus at a wedding hall in Agartala during the COVID-19 pandemic, why is there a hesitation to remove the DM of Gomati district? he asked.

"Now, we want the DM to be suspended for disrespecting the Maharaja," he said.

"We request Chief Minister Manik Saha to consider the issue as very serious, and take action. If something untoward happens in the state, the onus will be on you. We don't want the public to suffer," he said.

The opposition CPI(M) condemned how Tipra Motha's youth brigade staged the agitation at the Gomati DM office on Monday.

"We criticised the Gomati DM for not meeting with Tipra Motha supremo Pradyot Kishore Manikya and chief of Tripura Tribal Areas Autonomous District Council (TTAADC) Purna Chandra Jamatia on May 25," the Leader of Opposition in Tripura Assembly, Jitendra Chaudhury, posted on Facebook on Monday.

"The party also condemned the way YTF supporters staged the protest rally at the DM office in Udaipur by locking the main entrance to the office and raising slogans," Chaudhury said.