Vladimir Lenin’s statue toppled in Tripura: CPM writes letter to Narendra Modi, seeks his intervention to 'end violence'

New Delhi: The CPM on Tuesday charged the BJP with “unleashing a reign of terror” on Left workers in Tripura and sought the immediate intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in bringing the violence to an end before the situation “worsened”. [caption id=“attachment_4379001” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] In a memorandum to the prime minister, the party claimed the BJP had begun attacking Left supporters in the northeastern state immediately after the results of the Assembly polls were declared. “We request your immediate intervention to stop these attacks and violence and to maintain peace and normalcy in the state” before the situation “worsened”, it said in the memorandum addressed to the prime minister. The party also gave a list of the alleged violent incidents and said 514 people were injured and 196 houses set on fire. “After the election results were out, goons of the BJP have unleashed a reign of terror and all-round attacks on members and supporters of the CPI(M), their houses, party offices and mass organisation offices throughout the state,” said the memorandum which was submitted to Modi in Parliament. Later talking to reporters, CPM leader Mohammed Salim also accused the state Governor of “working like a Sangh Parivar supporter”. “He holds a constitutional post and is offering a stamp of approval to the unconstitutional, undemocratic, illegal vandalism. We hope the Centre would take note of this,” Salim said. Describing the post-poll situation in Tripura as “highly condemnable”, CPI leader D Raja said the bulldozing of a Lenin statue and attacking Left cadres and their offices were “nothing but fascist activities of the BJP and the Sangh Parivar”. Not only the Left, but all secular and democratic parties should condemn “this absolute vandalism”, he said. Raja said the BJP leadership should take the “responsibility for the collapse of law and order and such undemocratic and unconstitutional activities of its cadres in Tripura”. The Left, which ruled Tripura for 25 years, was ousted by the BJP in state Assembly elections, the results of which were declared on Saturday.