Agartala: Power tussle over controlling the Tripura Cricket Association (TCA) between two groups of the ruling BJP has turned worse in the last two days, while opposition parties criticised the silent role of Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha and the partial role of the police.
Leader of the opposition Animesh Debbarma alleged that a youth was seen attacking TCA officials with firearms in front of a large number of policemen, including a DSP, in broad daylight in the office complex.
TCA Vice President and former Ranji Captain Timir Chanda and Secretary Tapash Ghosh were manhandled by the other group inside the office.
Even after two days of the incident, there was no statement from the Chief Minister or action by the police. The criminals have been scot-free. He made the state government responsible for the war of power inside TCA and said, “Instead of improving the quality of cricket and infrastructure, BJP leaders used TCA as a money-pulling institution, in which the BCCI needs to intervene.”
However, Congress president Ashis Kumar Saha accused Chief Minister Dr Saha of indulging a few anti-social elements who got entry into the TCA with the help of BJP leaders to use mussel power to capture the TCA’s functioning. A councillor of Agartala Municipal Corporation, Tapan Lodh, was illegally made president, as he has been holding the office of profit.
“Similarly, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Pratima Bhoumik’s close aide Tapas Ghosh was made Secretary, and Agriculture Minister Ratan Lal Nath’s close associate and controversial man Joylal Das became Treasurer. Several other portfolios of TCA were grabbed by people who had no link with cricket but were blessed with former CM Biplab Kumar Deb.
The Biplab, Pratima and Ratan Lal’s people have been trying to take control of TCA, which the CM does not agree with, which led to open fighting,” Saha alleged.
A group of club members allegedly attacked the vice-president of TCA, Timir Chanda, when he along with secretary Tapas Ghosh tried to enter the office complex of TCA at Post Office Chowmuhani near West Agartala police station. Later, police and security forces rushed to the spot and rescued both of them.
He said that in brought-daylight in front of two police stations and in the heart of Agartala city, miscreants of rival factions had attacked each other with arms and weapons.
He asked, Where is the security of the common people? Fighting among TCA factions shows that the law and order situation of the state totally broke down.
Meanwhile, the TCA President has written to the Home Department seeking a probe into alleged financial embezzlement in the procurement and installation of four towers of high mast LED floodlights at Maharaja Bir Bikram Stadium.
He accused the members of another faction of fund embezzlement, and the police have started an investigation into it.
