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Journalist Santanu Bhowmik beaten to death by IPFT activists in Tripura

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Shantanu Bhowmik

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 28-year-old reporter was returning to Agartala after covering a rally by Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura in Mandwai when he was attacked

A 28-year-old television journalist, Santanu Bhowmik, was beaten to death by activists of the Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura (IPFT) on Wednesday. The killing has sparked widespread protests in the state and forcing the district administration to impose a curfew in and around Agartala.

Bhowmik, a reporter with local television news channel Deen Raat which is known for its Left-leaning editorial stance, was returning from Mandwai in the West Tripura district to the state capital on Wednesday afternoon when he was allegedly abducted by the IPFT activists. However, there have been some local reports claiming that Bhowmik was beaten up by agitated IPFT activists when he was trying to cover the outfit’s road blockade in Mandwai as the protestors did not want reporters and camerapersons to record the events.

Police sources, however, claim that Bhowmik’s body covered with severe injuries and stab wounds was found between Mandwai and Jirania towns, some 25 kilometers from Agartala. He was rushed to the Agartala Government Medical College and Hospital by the police and workers of the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) but was declared dead on arrival.

The IPFT has been fighting for a separate state for indigenous Tripura tribals for several years and has often been engaged in violent clashes with CPM cadres as the party’s government under chief minister Manik Sarkar has always been against the idea of bifurcating the state. With Tripura due for Assembly elections later this year, these clashes have intensified in recent months.

The murder of Bhowmik has triggered massive protests, allegedly with the tacit support of CPM cadres, across Tripura and Left leaders have sought to blame the BJP for orchestrating the IPFT movement in a bid to make political in-roads in the state that has seen Manik Sarkar firmly in the chief minister’s saddle for four consecutive terms.

Some local media reports suggested that IPFT supporters at the Mandwai rally called Bhowmik a “CPM activist working against their party” while they assaulted him and his camera person who managed to escape and report the incident to the police at Jirania. Bhowmik and his camera person reportedly had footage of IPFT supporters attacking the CPM office at Mandwai.

Pranab Sarkar, secretary of the Tripura Journalists’ Union, said, “Bhowmik was assaulted in front of police personnel, who remained mute spectators.” Later, media personnel blocked a road leading to chief minister Manik Sarkar’s official residence and sat on a dharna, demanding action against all people, including abettors, who killed Bhowmik.

Meanwhile, the Left has sought to draw parallels between the recent killing of senior journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru by suspected right-wing radicals with the murder of Bhowmik.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said that Bhowmik’s murder was indicative of the “RSS-BJP’s time tested recipe of preparing for elections through murder”.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The BJP has however sought to pin the blame for the murder on the deterioration of law and order in Tripura under Manik Sarkar’s rule.

Himanta Biswa Sarma, the BJP’s leader from Assam who has been charged with ensuring that the party wins provincial elections in all north-eastern states over the next two years, condemned the killing and said that the Tripura government had “much to answer”.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRUklMjBoaWdobHklMjBjb25kZW1uJTIwYnJ1dGFsJTIwa2lsbGluZyUyMG9mJTIweW91bmclMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGdHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZoYXNodGFnJTJGVHJpcHVyYSUzRnNyYyUzRGhhc2glMjIlM0UlMjNUcmlwdXJhJTNDJTJGYSUzRSUyMFRWJTIwam91cm5hbGlzdCUyMFNoYW50YW51JTIwQmhvd21pay4lMjBTcmklMjBNYW5payUyMFNhcmthciUyNiUyMzM5JTNCcyUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRmNwaW1zcGVhayUyMiUzRSU0MGNwaW1zcGVhayUzQyUyRmElM0UlMjBnb3Z0JTIwaGFzJTIwbXVjaCUyMHRvJTIwYW5zd2VyLiUzQyUyRnAlM0UlMjZtZGFzaCUzQiUyMEhpbWFudGElMjBCaXN3YSUyMFNhcm1hJTIwJTI4JTQwaGltYW50YWJpc3dhJTI5JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGaGltYW50YWJpc3dhJTJGc3RhdHVzJTJGOTEwNzMwMjUyOTY3NTgzNzQ1JTIyJTNFU2VwdGVtYmVyJTIwMjElMkMlMjAyMDE3JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMiUyRiUyRnBsYXRmb3JtLnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGd2lkZ2V0cy5qcyUyMiUyMGNoYXJzZXQlM0QlMjJ1dGYtOCUyMiUzRSUzQyUyRnNjcmlwdCUzRQ==[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The CPM hit back at Sarma claiming that the IPFT had the support of the BJP.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The CPM also took to Twitter to post documents and claim that the BJP had been funding the radical IPFT activists.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]In a series of tweets, the party also said that the Manik Sarkar government had ordered a probe into the murder.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Manipur: Congress hits back at BJP chief Nadda’s letter to Kharge

Ramesh emphasised that Nadda’s letter is replete with inaccuracies and reiterated that the people of Manipur long for normalcy, peace, and harmony.

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The Congress on Friday lashed out at BJP president JP Nadda’s accusations that the Opposition party was promoting a politically motivated narrative concerning the situation in Manipur.

The grand old party described Nadda’s letter to Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge as a 4D exercise, which means denial, distortion, distraction, and defamation.

Nadda, responding to Kharge’s call for President Droupadi Murmu’s intervention and his claims of the Centre’s total failure in managing the crisis, claimed that the consequences of Congress’s “abject failure” in handling local issues in Manipur during its governance are still being felt today.

Responding to Nadda, Congress General Secretary for Communications Jairam Ramesh stated, “Congress President Kharge ji wrote to the President of India on Manipur. Apparently, to counter that letter, the BJP President has now written to the Congress President.”

Ramesh emphasised that Nadda’s letter is replete with inaccuracies and reiterated that the people of Manipur long for normalcy, peace, and harmony.

He noted that they are posed with four critical questions: When will the Prime Minister visit the state? How much longer will the Chief Minister remain in office despite lacking majority support? When will a full-time Governor be appointed? And when will the Union Home Minister be held accountable for his failures in Manipur?

Nadda expressed astonishment at the Congress’s ongoing efforts to sensationalize the situation in Manipur, pointing out that Kharge appeared to overlook the fact that his party’s past government had legitimized the illegal migration of foreign militants to India, during which former Home Minister P Chidambaram had signed relevant treaties.

On Tuesday, Kharge had written to President Murmu regarding the worsening conditions in Manipur, requesting her immediate intervention to ensure that the citizens of the state can live peacefully and with dignity.

In his two-page letter, Kharge accused both the Union and Manipur state governments of “completely failing” to restore peace and normalcy over the past 18 months, resulting in a loss of public confidence in their leadership.

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Rahul Gandhi is right, Gautam Adani should be arrested: RJD president Lalu Yadav

“Rahul Gandhi is right. Adani should be arrested,” said Prasad, who is an old ally of the Congress and a staunch opponent of the BJP, to which Adani is said to be close.

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RJD president Lalu Prasad Yadav on Friday spoke in support of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s demand for immediate arrest of Gautam Adani, after the Industrialist was charged in the US for alleged bribery and fraud.

Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said on Thursday that Gautam Adani should be arrested immediately, and his protector Madhabi Puri Buch should be investigated

The former Congress chief claimed that the recent developments vindicate his long-standing allegations against Gautam Adani. He took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and alleged that Modi is protecting Adani, and is also involved in corruption. 

Yadav, the former chief minister of Bihar, was responding to queries from journalists here about Gandhi’s statement on the previous day, in the backdrop of charges of bribery and fraud against the Adani group in the US.

“Rahul Gandhi is right. Adani should be arrested,” said Prasad, who is an old ally of the Congress and a staunch opponent of the BJP, to which Adani is said to be close.

The RJD supremo, who incidentally has been convicted in several fodder scam cases and is on bail, was also asked about prospects of the INDIA bloc, of which his party is a part, in Jharkhand, where the counting of votes for assembly polls is scheduled on Saturday.

Speaking to PTI, the ailing septuagenarian replied, “I would like to remain focused on my statement that Adani must be arrested. I am not worried much about a new government (in Jharkhand) where we are already in power.” Jharkhand witnessed a straight battle between the INDIA bloc and the BJP-led NDA, which included the JD(U) headed by Nitish Kumar, Prasad’s arch-rival and the current Chief Minister of Bihar.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, Gandhi further said that Chief Ministers have been jailed for scams of Rs 10-15 crore, but Adani, who has committed a scam of Rs 2000 crore is walking free.

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Cash for votes row: BJP leader Vinod Tawde sends legal notice to Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, asks them to apologise or face defamation

The BJP leader said the allegations against him were false, baseless and made with malafide intentions.

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Cash for votes row: BJP leader Vinod Tawde sends legal notice to Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, asks them to apologise or face defamation

BJP leader Vinod Tawde, accused of distributing cash to influence voters, has sent a legal notice to Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Supriya Shrinate and Rahul Gandhi over the controversy. The BJP leader has demanded their apologies or face a Rs 100-crore defamation case.

Vinod Tawde’s legal notice came after regional party Bahujan Vikas Aghadi (BVA) leader Hitendra Thakur on Tuesday accused him of distributing Rs 5 crore at a hotel in Virar in Palghar district, 60 km from Mumbai, to woo voters.

In the legal notice, the BJP leader said the allegations against him were false, baseless and made with malafide intentions. He claimed that he demanded an apology from the three Congress leaders for their remarks against him in the cash-for-votes row or he would be forced to initiate criminal proceedings against them.

Just a few hours before the Assembly Elections, a video went viral on Tuesday showing BVA workers storming into the hotel in Palghar during a meeting between Vinod Tawde and Rajan Naik, the BJP candidate from the Nalasopara seat. The BVA workers alleged that Tawde was caught red-handed with Rs 5 crore cash.

In the viral video, the BVA workers were seen taking out bundles of cash from a bag, while Tawde was sitting at a distance. The BVA workers also took pictures and videos of him on their phones. Amid these allegations, BVA leaders said that Rs 5 crore cash was distributed, an election official on Tuesday said Rs 9.93 lakh cash was recovered from the hotel rooms.

However, Vinod Tawde denied the allegation, saying he was only providing guidance to party workers on poll procedures and said he was not stupid enough to distribute money at his opponent’s hotel. Speaking to the media, he said that the Vivanta Hotel is owned by the Thakurs, and he is not stupid to go to their hotel and distribute money there.

The Police registered two FIRs against Tawde, BJP candidate Naik and others in connection with the controversy. Additionally, the Election Commission filed three FIRs against Tawde.

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