Agartala, April 16: Tension gripped the city center as Pradesh Congress workers staged a vociferous protest outside the Enforcement Directorate (ED) office, accusing the BJP-led central government of weaponizing investigative agencies against opposition leaders. The demonstration turned violent when protesters attempted to surround the ED premises, leading to clashes with police personnel who deployed barricades to control the situation.
Pradesh Congress President Ashish Kumar Saha led the agitation, alleging systematic targeting of Congress leadership. "The Modi government is fabricating cases against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi through the ED to suppress opposition voices," Saha claimed before media persons. He asserted that the recent chargesheets against Congress leaders were politically motivated attempts to damage the party's credibility ahead of elections.
The protest saw heated exchanges between police and demonstrators when Congress workers tried breaching security cordons. Police used mild force to disperse the crowd after protesters allegedly pelted stones and shouted slogans against the administration. Several Congress workers were detained temporarily before being released later in the day.
Senior Congress leader and MLA Sudip Roy Barman joined the chorus of criticism, accusing the BJP of institutionalizing political vendetta. "From Parliament to police stations, this government is misusing every constitutional body to harass opposition leaders," Barman stated. He revealed that the party was compiling documented evidence of alleged agency misuse for "appropriate legal and political action at the right time."
The Congress leaders connected the protest to wider national concerns, claiming the BJP was using ED actions to divert attention from inflation, unemployment and other governance failures. "When they can't answer about price rise, they send ED after opposition leaders," Saha remarked, drawing cheers from supporters.
Police officials confirmed that the situation was brought under control within two hours, though additional forces remained deployed as precaution. No major injuries or property damage was reported despite the scuffles.
Political observers note the protest reflects growing opposition unity against perceived authoritarian tendencies, with Tripura Congress attempting to position itself as the primary anti-BJP voice in the state. The incident comes amid heightened political activity in the Northeast, with opposition parties increasingly framing agency actions as democratic backsliding.
As tempers cooled by evening, Congress leaders vowed to continue their agitation through legal and parliamentary channels, signaling this confrontation may mark the beginning of sustained political warfare in the run-up to state elections.
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