Congress blames BJP for attack on its Agartala office

Following victory in the Agartala byelection, party’s property was vandalised, workers assaulted

The Congress on Sunday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) workers of attacking its Agartala headquarters and assaulting its State unit chief, Birajit Sinha, and other party workers, warning that President’s Rule would become necessary if the State government was unable to handle law and order.

The Congress Bhavan was attacked after party candidate Sudip Roy Barman’s victory in the Agartala byelection. “We demand an apology from the BJP president J.P. Nadda and an investigation by Home Minister Amit Shah into why these attacks occurred...we urge the authorities to take strict action against the culprits and ensure safety to Congress party offices and office-bearers,” party general secretary K.C. Venugopal said in a statement.

A three-member delegation comprising MPs Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Gaurav Gogoi and Naseer Hussain will visit Tripura on Monday to take stock of the situation and prepare a report on the attack.

“This barbarous attack happened even as the police passively looked on while BJP goons vandalised properties and carried out the attack on party office-bearers. It is utterly shameful that the police stood as mute and complicit spectators while the goons stormed the office and attacked our office-bearers. The BJP goons were freely roaming with rods and sticks and threw stones inside the office. The PCC [Pradesh Congress Committee] president sustained injuries and is admitted in hospital following the attack,” the party said.

The Congress alleged that the BJP’s “goons” had earlier attacked Mr. Burman and he had sustained serious injuries. “The desperate BJP is unable to accept the verdict of the people and they are once again letting loose their goons to attack our offices and office-bearers,” the party said.