CORRESPONDENT
AGARTALA: The first attempt by the CPI(M) to show its strength in recent times has evoked a moderate response, as more than a thousand people, including former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Leader of the Opposition and state secretary of the party Jiten Choudhury, participated in a civil disobedience movement and courted arrest today. Subsequently, they were released by the police.
Though essentially a party programme, the CPI(M) did not use its name and called the Jaol Bhoro movement under the banner of the United Kishan Morcha in support of various demands. CPI(M) workers organised the programme at different places. Party sources claimed that large numbers of people turned out at every spot to register their protest and courted arrest. However, no untoward incident was reported from any part of the state.
The main programme was held in Agartala, where the party organised a rally from Orient Chowmuhani and travelled through various routes before the police stopped it near Paradise Chowmuhani. A tense situation arose when the demonstrators tried to break through the police barricade. However, the situation came under control when the police detained all the demonstrators, including the leaders. The convener of the United Kishan Morcha and former minister Pabitra Kar was also detained. The Morcha claimed that more than 6,000 workers courted arrest in different parts of the state.
Addressing the gathering before the rally started, former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar alleged that the present government is working against the interests of the farming community and others. He said the huge turnout at today's programme clearly indicated the extent of grievances among the people. He said the situation would further aggravate if the government failed to learn a lesson from today's demonstration. He also cited people's suffering due to the faulty electricity billing system and the government's silence.
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