Another Lenin statue pulled down in Tripura; CPI(M) takes out protest march, BJP leader says Lenin a terrorist

A day after Russian communist revolutionary Vladmir Lenin’s statue was pulled down allegedly by BJP party workers in Tripura, yet another incident on the Russian leader’s statue being vandalised and violence was reported from the state on Tuesday.

According to reports Vladmir Lenin’s statue was pulled down by unknown miscreants on Tuesday in South Tripura’s Sabroom town.

CPI (M) leaders are claiming that since the day state poll results were declared, its cadres and offices have been attacked across the state.  The party also claims that saffron members have burnt and vandalised their officers.

Bijan Dhar, CPI (M) state unit secretary, claimed that till Tuesday at least 520 workers and supporters of the party were assaulted. “1,539 homes or workers vandalised, 134 party offices vandalises, 208 offices forcibly occupied ad 196 homes of party workers were set on fire,” said Dhar.  

The state police has imposed section 144 in several violence-affected areas. Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh directed the Tripura DGP to ensure peace.

The bulldozing of the Russian revolutionary’s statue has snowballed the controversy across the country. Left leaders took out rallies in different parts of country and in Kolkata Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s effigy was torched.

Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M) president criticising the incident said,  “RSS-BJP is unleashing unprecedented violence and arson across Tripura. These attacks clearly demonstrate that the RSS and BJP rely mainly on unleashing political violence to advance their inherent anti-democratic and fascist agenda.”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to condemned the demolition of statue and said, “I will not tolerate such actions though Trinamool COngress has bitter rivalry with CPI (M).”

Also read : BJP workers bring down Communist icon Lenin's statue in Tripura's Belonia town amid chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai

“We had ended 33 years of CPI (M) rule in West Bengal but we did not move around breaking statues of people who are not my leader. Demolishing of statues of leaders of different ideologies in not accepted,” added Banerjee.

However, BJP Rajya Sabha leader Subramanian Swamy questioned the need of Lenin statue in India and said “Lenin was a foreigner and he was a kind of a terrorist. The CPI (M) can keep the statue in their headquarters.”