AGARTALA, April 19 (TIWN):Tripura’s Bandhs and hartals are particularly a CPI-M infused political disease refusing to become extinct as Congress inherited this disease one step further by organizing mass vandalism to display muscle power. Tripura bandhs are increasing in intensity every year, even though in 1998 the Supreme court had made bandhs illegal and in 2004 had even punished the BJP and Shiv Sena (political parties) for organizing a bandh in Mumbai to protest the bomb blasts in the city. Astonishingly only in 3 States in India this bandh culture mostly alive and they are all CPI-M influenced states . CPI-M ruled West Bengal, Kerala, Tripura for decades even though communist party lost power in two major states Bengal, Kerala, nationally decimated by electorates in 2014 Lok Sabha Polls with a mere 9 seats.

So  tiny Tripura shouldering the burden of keeping CPI-M’s mantle and cash flow  alive. 

Tripura bandh on Monday failed to evoke much response except in few towns like Agartala, Udaipur  where the party used hooligans, arsonists like NSUI Congress Youth wing NSUI General Secretary Rakesh Das gangs to burn tyres, break cars, attack motorists with stones.

Unfortunately the term bandh is being used interchangeably with a hartal or strike. A workers’ strike or any protest should be limited to the organisation or body against whom protestors have a grievance, but a bandh affects all citizens and can last even up to two days at a time. It paralysis normal life, public transport and everyone is forced to remain indoors, causing great loss and inconvenience to the people. People can’t reach hospitals on time and urgent work is interrupted.

The bandh culture is a peculiar hodgepodge of democracy and communism. Communist regimes in China, Russia do not allow such nonsense, but a democracy allows freedom, a freedom misused by the communists to impose on the common people.

It is ridiculous that bandhs are actually used to tom-tom a “people’s cause” completely disregarding the fact that it is the common man who suffers as public transport grinds to a halt, establishments close out of fear of violence and people dare not venture out, again due to fear. And ofcourse the country and the state loses out in a big way…money and prestige as well. As for the long-term effects, very damaging indeed.

Tripura’s congress learnt  bandh culture from their CPI-M brothers, open violence by party cadre, the police and the administration acting only at the behest of the ruling dispensation, irresponsible trade unionism and the collapse of work culture.

The officials of Tripura Govt were taught by political parties that they could always collect their pay packets without performing their duties. Agitation replaced governance, and the unemployed and the unemployable were given the assurance that they could always depend on the patronage of political parties. Governance became synonymous with populism.

Agitation and populism have made Tripura ungovernable. These two facets of politics also initiated a vicious cycle.

CPI-M encouraged massive unemployments as Chief Minister Manik Sarkar failed to attract any modern industries from IT to Industry, and this created the conditions of economic stagnation and unemployment, and these, in turn, intensified the politics of protest and populism.

PCC president Birjit Sinha should be ashamed by now that he couldn’t arrange more than 50 people to do a ‘pada yatra’ (rally)across Agartala on Monday.

Most of the shops, markets and business establishments of Agartala were forced to shut down by vandals by "terror and violence" for half day as NSUI, Congress goons on bike were toting for victims.

Police said around 300 Congress supporters were arrested in the state for trying to enforce the bandh.

The state government had nnounced that all its offices would remain open and employees should report for duty, so there were many offices open.

Criticising the shutdown, a rickshaw puller Apu Mondal said to TIWN correspondent that he lost his days income, left sick wife at home, other than starving no options left to pass the day.

In Battala auto stand, few drivers were hopeful that they could ply their auto-rickshaws after CPI-M cadres assurance but NSUI goons broke glasses of few autos.

Congress goons also were spotted breaking glasses of many vehicles with big stones.

Only hope Tripura saw in Police on Monday when a daring woman Addl. SP Sharmistha Chakraborty took control over unruly situation and grabbed few rascals like NSUI General Secretary Rakesh Das.

Unruly Bandh supporters clashed with the police in multiple places but Addl .SP Sharmistha Chakraborty’s tough handling of situation saved many public properties from looting & arso .