Cong bandh hits Tripura, demands CBI inquiry

AGARTALA, February 22: Life was crippled in Tripura today following a 48-hour bandh called by the Congress protesting against the killing of party MLA, Madhu Sudhan Saha, here on February 20, report agencies. The Congress also demanded the resignation of the Left Front ministry and a CBI inquiry into the murder. Shops, business establishments, schools, educational institutions, government offices and banks remained closed, while vehicles went off the roads. Security measures had been tightened in view of the bandh. According to the latest reports reaching the police headquarters, no untoward incident had been reported so far. Director General of Police, BL Vohra, said the situation was under control and para-military forces had been deployed in the sensitive areas. Senior police officials were closely monitoring the situation. The State Government had last night decided to give the CBI the charge to probe into the murder case. Chief Minister Manik Sarkar announced the government's decision following a series of meetings with the state governor, his ministerial colleagues and senior officials. The MLA, elected to the State Assembly from the Banamalipur Constituency in the 1998 Assembly elections, was shot dead by unknown gunmen while playing carrom in front of his house at Shibnagar. The Opposition Congress will raise the MLA murder issue in Parliament, and would not allow the government to run the opening day of the State Assembly on February 23 which falls under the 48-hour statewide bandh. Addressing a press conference here last evening, Tripura Pradesh Congress president, Birajit Sinha, Opposition leader Jawahar Saha and other party MLAs said that if the State Government did not accept the demand of the CBI inquiry into the killing party legislator Madhu Sudhan Saha, the Congress would launch a massive state-wide movement after the end of the 48-hour state bandh called to protest the murder. "We have no faith in the Left Front Government and the ministry headed by Manik Sarkar must resign immediately owing moral responsibility of the State Government's failure to protect the life of an MLA," the Congress leaders said, accusing the ruling party of behind the killing. "If the Left Front is clean in this murder case, then they should immediately and over the case to the CBI," they added. An uneasy calm prevailed in the city since last night. Shops and business establishments also remained closed. Condemning the killing, Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has asked the Director General of Police to apprehend the culprits immediately and appealed to the people to maintain peace. Police said the slain MLA refused to take any personal bodyguard. The State government normally provides two to all MLAs. Sources said soon after the death of Saha, some Congress workers ransacked the GB Hospital, and damaged property besides injuring four senior doctors and health staffs. Saha was the fourth siting MLA who had been killed since 1980. CPI(M) MLA Gautam Dutta was killed by unknown assailants at Bishalgarh in West Tripura district on September 18, 1980. Congress MLA Parimal Saha was murdered in the same area on April 7, 1993. CPI(M) MLA and health minister Bimal Sinha was gunned down at Kamalpur in Dhalai district on March 31, 1998. Saha's killing is the most sensational murder case in the city within a year. On February 5 last year, Sadar subdivisional officer Sukhram Debbarma was shot at by some gunmen in his office here. He succumbed to his injuries on February 16 at a hospital in Kolkata. Tripura governor Lt Gen (retd) KM Seth in a statement, expressed shock over the killing of the Congress MLA. He expressed sympathy to the bereaved family members.