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India grants consular access for British High Commission to visit Christian Michel

OpIndia Staff
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India grants consular access for British High Commission to visit Christian Michel

The Indian government has given consular access for the British High Commission to meet its citizen Christian Michel, who is currently under the custody of investigative agencies probing the AgustaWestland scam.


Michel was extradited to India on 4 December, from United Arab Emirates (UAE). UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office(FCO) had sought urgent information from India regarding detention and extradition of Christian Michel. They had also asked for consular access to Michel.

Meanwhile, Michel had moved an application in the CBI court, to grant him permission to contact his family members and lawyers. The Tihar Jail superintendent has been asked by the court to file a response by January 14.

Last year in December, ED had asked the court to bar Michel from meeting his lawyer, because they alleged he was getting tutored by outside forces during the interrogation. ED said he was misusing legal access by passing slips to the lawyer, asking them how to tackle questions on “Mrs. Gandhi”. The court had restricted his meetings after the accusation.

Christian Michel has reportedly made many sensational confessions after coming to India. Christian Michel, had also identified ‘AP’ and ‘Fam’, the notings that were found in a diary belonging to him. He allegedly confirmed that AP refers to Ahmed Patel, senior Congress politician, and Fam refers to the Family. He was also reported to have access to UPA’s internal meetings.

Recently it was also unearthed that, Christian Michel’s involvement was not only restricted to AgustaWestland scam. He had also lobbied against France-based Rafael, in order to enable Eurofighter, its rival, to grab the MMRCA deal.

On 5th January, the Patiala House Court had extended Michel’s judicial custody till February 26.

“Our staff is supporting a British man who is detained in India, and have visited him to check his welfare” British High Commision was quoted by ANI. The spokesperson for Ministry of External Affairs Raveesh Kumar has also confirmed that the British High Commission has been granted consular access to Michel.

Delhi HC dismisses plea by Rakesh Asthana and Devender Kumar, CBI asked to complete probe in 10 weeks

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi HC dismisses plea by Rakesh Asthana and Devender Kumar, CBI asked to complete probe in 10 weeks

The Delhi HC has dismissed a plea filed by former CBI special director Rakesh Asthana and Deputy SP Devender Kumar seeking the quashing of FIR against them.


On a day when the removal of ex-CBI chief Alok Verma has stirred up wide speculations and debates on media, many eyes were on the Delhi HC hearing regarding the plea by Asthana and Kumar.

Asthana’s lawyer has reportedly argued that a prior consent under section 17 of the PC Act was required before acting against the official. The CBI, in its defense, stated that the sanction was not required. ASG Bikramjit Banerjee was appearing for the CBI. The HC then rejected Asthana’s contention underlining that when a cognisable offence is alleged to have been committed, there must be a probe.

As per reports, Asthana was booked under the charges of criminal conspiracy, corruption and criminal misconduct under the relevant sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act. The FIR against him was lodged on a complaint by Hyderabad based businessman Satish Babu Sana.


As per latest reports, the court has asked the CBI to maintain status quo for 2 weeks. Along with Asthana, Dy SP Devender Kumar and alleged middleman Manoj Prasad. The bench headed by justice Najmi Waziri has asked the CBI to complete its investigation on the matter within 10 weeks and submit a charge sheet.

Devender Kumar was the investigating officer in a case involving meat exporter Moin Qureshi. He was arrested on the allegations of forgery in recording the statement of Satish Sana.

Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer of Gujarat cadre was accused to taking a bribe of Rs 3 crore from Sana. On 22 October, the day CBI made national headlines for raiding its own premises, Dy SP Devender Kumar was arrested on Sana’s complaint. Sana was also an accused in the infamous Moin Qureshi case which had taken down many high ranked sleuths in the country.

In 2014, Qureshi was raided by the Income Tax officials and his BBM communications with the former CBI chief AP Singh had led to the later resigning from his post in the UPSC.

Read details: Ousted CBI Director Alok Verma resigns, refuses to take charge as DG Fire Services

Nupur J Sharma
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Read details: Ousted CBI Director Alok Verma resigns, refuses to take charge as DG Fire Services

It has only been a day since CBI Director Alok Verma was ousted from his post by a High Powered Panel comprising of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Justice Sikri (nominee of Chief Justice Gogoi) and Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge who was the dissenting panel member. The Panel had transferred him as DG of Fire Services since the panel did not have the authority to fire him. Now, it has emerged that Alok Verma has refused to take charge as the DG of Fire Services.

In a letter, Alok Verma has written that he was not given the opportunity to be heard by the panel before his ouster as the CBI Director, and hence, the natural process of Justice was turned upside down. He says that the entire CVC report is based on one complainant who is currently under investigation by the CBI itself. The letter states that the CVC only produced a signed copy of the complaint and the complainant never appeared in front of Justice Patnaik who was supervising the inquiry.

Alok Verma resignation letter

He then casts aspersions on the Government saying that institutions are the most visible symbol of democracy and that the CBI is the most reputed one. He says his ouster reflects poorly since it shows that the government of the day can treat an institution in this manner by majority members of the ruling government. Almost grandstanding, he says that the State needs to introspect.

He then goes on to list his career appointments saying that he has always aimed to serve. Then he says that he was serving as the Director of CBI only till 31st January 2019 as it was a fixed tenure role. He says that he is no longer the Director of CBI and has already crossed his superannuation age for DG Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards and hence, he should be considered as superannuated from immediate effect.

There are serious charges and allegations of corruption against Alok Verma owing to which he was ousted as the Director of CBI. Among other charges, he was accused of diluting the Look Out Circulars against Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya. He was also accused of leaking sensitive documents pertaining to the Nirav Modi case and of fabricating documents to frame Rakesh Asthana, the Special Director CBI who is also on forced leave by the Modi government.

As for Alok Verma not being given the chance to be heard, Former Judge Markandey Katju had posted the entire explanation as to why Justice Sikri too agreed to oust Alok Verma and Verma was not given the opportunity to be heard.

He had written that it is a settled principle that even suspension can be done without giving the accused a hearing and suspensions pending inquiry are very common. It is only dismissal that cannot be done without hearing. Alok Verma has not even been suspended and has only been transferred to an equivalent post, hence, giving him a chance to be heard was not needed. However, Alok Verma, being fully aware of the procedure has chosen to turn this entire affair into a fiasco.

Congress leader Kharge argued that the Central Vigilance Commission report lacked “substantial findings” against him. He also said Alok Verma’s tenure should be extended since he lost 77 days after being “illegally’ transferred”. Kharge also demanded that an “independent inquiry” into the removal of Alok Verma.

Kharge had also brought up the Rafale bogey to say that Alok Verma was ousted because he wanted to “investigate” the Rafale deal which got a clean chit by the Supreme Court. However, this bogey is useless, considering the CBI cannot investigate defence deals unless the Court or the Government orders one. There were also reports that emerged that the CBI was all set to file a corruption case against Alok Verma. The Congress ecosystem has been since trying to protect Alok Verma and cast aspersions on the government, reeking of a larger agenda.

Chhattisgarh: Congress government withdraws consent given to CBI to probe cases in the state

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Congress government withdraws consent given to CBI to probe cases in the state

The Congress-led Chhattisgarh government has withdrawn general consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation, to investigate cases in the state.

According to reports, CM Bhupesh Baghel’s government has written a letter to Union Home Ministry and Ministry of Personnel, to disallow CBI from probing any case on its soil, without the state’s permission. However, CBI can investigate cases that are pending, and if it is directed by the court to do so.


The state of Chhattisgarh is not the first to bar CBI from the state. Last year, in November, Chandrababu Naidu led- Telegu Desam Party government in Andhra Pradesh also withdrew the consent to CBI. The Andhra Pradesh government had cited section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act, 1946, under which the jurisdiction of CBI also falls. Following which, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal CM Mamta Banerjee had also withdrawn the consent accorded to CBI. She had alleged that CBI that the current central dispensation is using its power to and target opposition parties.

The consent which has been withdrawn by CM Bhupesh Baghel was given to CBI in 2001, under Ajit Jogi’s government. According to an Indian Express report, CM Baghel has been quoted saying that under present dispensation at Centre, CBI’s credibility is under suspicion.

‘”The first thing is that under the NDA government at the Centre, the credibility of the CBI is at peril. Therefore, it does not seem right that we allow the CBI to act as it pleases in our state. Second, we function through a system, and the way the CBI was let free to operate in the state, the law and order and state officers were being disturbed. ” CM Baghel was quoted. He also added that the withdrawal of consent doesn’t mean that CBI is completely barred from conducting the investigation, but it means that it has to do so after permission from the state government.

CM Bhupesh Bhagel government has also cited the same provision under section 6 of the Delhi Special Police Establishment Act,1946 that was used by CM Naidu. The central government is yet to issue any statement on the withdrawal of consent for CBI in Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, former CM Raman Singh has stated that the action shows Baghel’s fear of the central investigation agency.

After trying to protect Vijay Mallya, Prashant Bhushan to move SC challenging Nageshwar Rao’s appointment

OpIndia Staff
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After trying to protect Vijay Mallya, Prashant Bhushan to move SC challenging Nageshwar Rao’s appointment

Just a day after Alok Verma was removed from the post of CBI Director and Additional Director M Nageshwar Rao was appointed as the interim director, serial petitioner Prashant Bhushan has decided to move the Supreme Court against the appointment of Rao.


In October last year, the government had sent Alok Verma on a forced leave following serious allegations were levelled against him by Special Director Rakesh Asthana. On 8th January, the Supreme Court had reinstated him, saying government can’t remove the CBI director from the post, only the selection committee that selects the director can do. Accordingly, the selection committee, headed by prime minister Modi and comprising Congress leader in Lok Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge and Justice A K Sikri of the supreme court, had decided to transfer Verma from his post and post him as Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards till retires as January 31, 2019.

Nageshwar Rao was also made the interim director of CBI when Verma was sent on leave, and he will lead the investigation agency till the selection committee selects the new Director of CBI. This means he will be on the post for less than three weeks, but still, Prashant Bhushan has a problem with that and he is going to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

It can be noted that earlier Prashant Bhushan had filed petitions in Supreme Court against the appointment of Rakesh Asthana as CBI special director. When his original petition was rejected by the top court, he had filed a review petition. After that petition was also rejected, he had against filed a curative petition, with no luck this time also as the Supreme Court rejected in December last year.

Rakesh Asthana was leading the CBI’s efforts in getting Vijaya Mallya extradited to India from the UK. The petitions filed and allegations made by Bhushan against Asthana were used by the lawyers of Vijay Mallya in the UK court hearing his extradition case. Using Bhushan’s arguments in India, Mallya’s defence was trying to prove that Asthana was a corrupt officer and he was motivated. And in a bizarre circular logic, Bhushan used those arguments made in the UK court to petition in the Supreme Court that Asthana’s presence is hampering the case against Mallya. Asthana was instrumental in getting Christian Michel extradited to India from Dubai.

Bhushan also petitioned against the removal of Alok Verma, but the selection committee’s decision has proved that allegations against Verma are serious in nature. The committee included a Supreme Court judge, and they used the CVC report against Verma in taking the decision. Now same Bhushan is petitioning against the appointment of an interim director. This raised a serious question, what is Prashant Bhushan’s interest in getting his favourite officers appointed as CBI director.

BJP to hold a grand Ramlila rally with over 12,000 delegates to commence its Lok Sabha campaign

OpIndia Staff
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BJP to hold a grand Ramlila rally with over 12,000 delegates to commence its Lok Sabha campaign

The BJP has decided to get cracking on the campaign for the 2019 general election with its two-day National Council meet on Friday and Saturday at New Delhi’s Ramlila Grounds. The convention is expected to be attended by BJP national executive council members, national council members, all MPs, MLAs, MLCs, national office bearers of ll morchas among others. It is reported that a record 12,000 delegates and party workers will be attending the council meeting.

The two-day national meeting will commence with the introductory address by the BJP chief Amit Shah and conclude with an address by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meet is expected to provide a set of instructions and roadmap for thousands of workers about the BJP’s campaign approach for Lok Sabha polls. Apart from this, there will be two resolutions, one on political issues and other on the economy will be passed and motion of thanks for the Prime Minister’s vibrant leadership for the last four and a half years.

Rajya Sabha MP and BJP’s media cell chief, Anil Baluni claimed that the size and scale of the meeting are going to be huge and extensive. “ BJP chief Amit Shah will start the convention with an inaugural address and PM Modi will conclude it with his valedictory speech. About 12000 karyakartas are expected to attend the convention,” Balani said.

Delhi BJP Co-in charge Tarun Chugh said that a crucial meeting was convened on Thursday for preparations for the National Conference on the 11th and 12th of the Ramlila Maidan. Chugh said that 24 departments have been set up for preparations for the National Convention, whose responsibilities have been assigned to different workers. All the workers have been given responsibilities to arrange for the representatives from all the districts across the country to come from the airport, railway stations and to the convention organized at Ramlila Maidan.

As per the party sources, the theme of the event would be to illuminate party leaders and karyakartas on campaign messaging. A senior general secretary claimed that the cadres were low on morale after the recent assembly elections defeat but after the Modi government passed the legislation of 10% reservation for economically weaker sections of the society, there has been a renewed vigour and optimism among the workers.

The platform of the convention will also be used to highlight Modi government’s commitment towards inclusiveness by drawing attention to granting constitutional status to the OBC Commission and strengthening the law on atrocities against Dalits and tribals.

Arch enemies Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and Communists on the same side on Citizenship Amendment Bill

OpIndia Staff
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Arch enemies Mamata Banerjee’s TMC and Communists on the same side on Citizenship Amendment Bill

Politics make for strange bed-fellows it is said. The old adage was proven to be quite true during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB). The CAB seeks to grant eligibility for citizenship to persecuted minorities from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh.

Amidst the protests in Assam, the state unit of the CPI(M) has congratulated the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) for ending its alliance with the BJP in the state. It has urged people to carry on their protests until it is revoked.

Suprakash Talukdar, a CPI(M) member, had said in an interview in December that the Bill will “obliterate the whole character of the Constitution.” He further claimed that the Bill is communal contrary to the secular ethos of the country. Tripura has been hit by violence during protests against the Bill. The BJP has claimed a CPI(M) hand behind it.

The Bill has united parties which have traditionally been arch enemies. The CPI(M) has been supported in its opposition to the Bill by Mamata Banerjee’s TMC. Members from the TMC and CPI(M), along with Congress and Samajwadi party, had recently moved dissent notes to the JPC report on the Bill.

“In Assam, it is a more critical issue. During the Assam visit, the committee even faced demonstration. On behalf of the committee, we promised to visit the state again, to talk to more stakeholders about the issue and also assured them that unless we meet again we won’t submit the report. Now, it’s embarrassing,” stated a member from the Left as quoted by The Hindu. “We feel that no names of genuine Indian citizens should have been deleted. We also strongly feel that the bill should not be passed by the sheer majority since this is a political effort not necessitated by political realities in Assam and West Bengal,” the TMC stated in its own note.

In Assam, the Congress party and the Left Democratic Front (LDF) stand against the Bill. The TMC, along with the Congress, staged a walkout during the discussion on the Bill. Traditionally, these parties have been each at other’s throats. However, desperate times call for desperate times and they appear to have come together for this one issue.

The convergence of opinion between the arch enemies shows that Opposition parties stand united in their opposition to granting citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries plagued by Islamic extremism, the majority of whom are Hindus.

Congress and media have a meltdown: Is protecting Alok Verma a part of a bigger agenda?

Editorial Desk
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Congress and media have a meltdown: Is protecting Alok Verma a part of a bigger agenda?

The cloud over the CBI appears to be clearing. Yesterday, a high-powered committee headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi which included senior Congress leader Mallikarjuna Kharge and Justice Sikri (Chief Justice Gogoi’s nominee) removed Alok Verma as Director of the agency.

The Central Vigilance Committee (CVC) in its report on the matter made some damning observations on the conduct of Verma. It concluded that there was grave misconduct on the part of the now ousted CBI Director. Some of the allegations were regarded as ‘prima facie established’ while others could not be substantiated. The grave allegations against Verma include a cover-up in the Nirav Modi scam and dilution of a Look Out Circular against fraud accused Vijay Mallya, fabricating documents, leaking documents related to the Aircel case etc.

Under such circumstances, it appears rather strange that Kharge was opposed to Verma’s removal. He claims that there was a “conspiracy at the highest levels of the Government with statutory authorities being found complicit”, which appears to be part of a “pre-meditated decision” to remove Verma “with reasons and processes being manufactured as an afterthought.” Kharge alleged that the PMO and NSA Ajit Doval had a role in the removal of Verma and the whole series of events required a separate investigation.

The allegations against Verma are quite serious and some of them were even substantiated by the CVC. It appears rather strange that the Congress party is supporting him especially considering the fact that Verma is accused of misconduct in the much-publicized frauds involving Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya and even the Aircel banking fraud.

As per Justice Markandey Katju, former Judge in the Supreme Court, Justice Sikri who was part of the process of removal, told him that there was prima facie evidence of guilt on grave charges. He was of the opinion that until the matter was fully investigated, Verma should not remain the Director of CBI.


Contrary to the wisdom of the CVC and Justice Sikri, the liberal ecosystem has lent its vocal support to the disgraced Verma. A certain journalist claimed that Verma’s removal “undermines India’s anti-corruption edifice”.


Another claimed that institutions are ruined by the NDA government.


Overall, the sentiments prevailing upon the “liberal” camp suggests that they are emotionally invested in the fate of Alok Verma. And it is rather perplexing.


Others managed to drag the Rafale Deal into it as well.


The reactions from the Opposition camp suggests that the removal of Verma has really gotten under their skin. While they claim it is so because the CBI under Verma was potentially considering investigating the Rafale deal, which the CBI isn’t capable of doing, could the actual reason be that Verma was somehow compromising the investigation into Nirav Modi and Vijay Mallya? Unfortunately, we may never know.

One wonders then what the larger agenda of this worrying trend is. While the entire Congress ecosystem has for the longest time screamed about getting Vijay Mallya back and blamed the Modi government for not doing what is necessary, why would they continue to protect a man who is alleged to have diluted the LoC against Mallya. While the Congress ecosystem has consistently asked for Nirav Modi to be bought to books, why would they then support a man who diluted the case against Nirav Modi and even leaked documents of the case?

The ‘non-pliant’ journalists have run their agenda without effectively informing their readers what the entire gambit of the case is. Or perhaps, the larger agenda of the Congress ecosystem is to stall these cases? The real motive of their proximity to these elements, one would not know immediately, but could it be that the “non-pliant” journalists are trying to help the Congress party build their narrative by diluting the cause of the nation. The most interesting aspect, other than the “journalists” and Congress supporting Alok Verma, is how Prashant Bhushan, who is against the removal of Verma, was helping Mallya through his allegations against CBI Special Director Rakesh Asthana.

In the entire fiasco, none of them seems to be talking about the grave substantiated the allegation that Alok Verma potentially fabricated a document to implicate Asthana.

All of this evidence points to a worrying trend of the Congress ecosystem harming the Nation and the institutions of the Nation just to get back at one man: Narendra Modi.

As security is tightened pending judgement in Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s case, here is all you need to know about the journalist’s murder

OpIndia Staff
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As security is tightened pending judgement in Gurmeet Ram Rahim’s case, here is all you need to know about the journalist’s murder

A special CBI court is expected to deliver its judgement in the 2003 murder case of a journalist where Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh is named as the main conspirator. A journalist, Ram Chander Chhatrapati, was murdered in 2002 after he reported on alleged sexual exploitation of women by Ram Rahim at Dera headquarters in Haryana. A case was registered in 2003.

According to reports, on 24th October 2002, Chhatrapati was allegedly shot at in Sirsa, where Dera headquarters are, by two carpenters who were Dera followers. He had been writing extensively on Dera’s growth and the wrongdoings being carried on in the Dera.

Publishing of an anonymous letter in his evening daily ‘Poora Sach’ which highlighted the plight of the women who were sexually abused by Gurmeet Ram Rahim led to his murder. Ram Rahim’s former driver Khatta Singh had earlier said that it was the Dera chief who had ordered Chhatrapati’s killing. The CBI filed a charge sheet in 2007 with Khatta Singh as a key witness.

In 2017, Panchkula’s special CBI court held Dera Sacha Sauda chief guilty of rape cases filed by two sadhvis in 2002. Following the verdict, Dera followers took to violence in Haryana and as per initial reports, 17 protestors were killed in police firing whereas over 200 were injured. Even more were detained in an attempt to contain violence. He is currently serving 20 years jail sentence after being held guilty for rape and criminal intimidation.

Security is tightened in Panchkula, Rohtak, Sirsa and parts of Haryana and Punjab ahead of the verdict.

Tripura enveloped in fear after clashes over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, government orders Magisterial enquiry

OpIndia Staff
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Tripura enveloped in fear after clashes over the Citizenship Amendment Bill, government orders Magisterial enquiry

Three days after three persons were shot following clashes between the police and agitators, resisting the Citizenship Amendment bill at Madhabbari in Khumulwng, Tripura, the local residents are still living in fear.

Several residents have expressed their anxiety and dissatisfaction, blaming the administration and the police for the incident. A local resident Budhulaxmi Debbarma told media that her house was damaged by Tripura State Rifles (TSR) jawans. “We were so afraid. They were simply shooting and the bullets could have hit any of us, hadn’t we run away for our lives”. Her family of twelve members kept hiding in the jungles until evening when there were no more shots to be heard. “All of us including five children starved throughout the day. If we hadn’t fled, we might as well have been shot”, she said.

However, heavy security has been deployed in Madhabbari and the adjoining areas, with the Tripura Police, Tripura State Rifles, Central Reserve Police Force and Assam Rifles safeguarding the areas. Assistant Commandant of 3rd Battalion TSR, TK Biswas, said that no further incident of communal flare-up has been reported since Tuesday.

The Tripura government Thursday ordered a magisterial inquiry into the violence erupted at Madhabbari in West Tripura district over protests against Citizenship (Amendment) Bill on Tuesday. The police have extended prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC for the next 48 hours along with the ban on SMS and mobile internet services.

Assam has been engulfed in widespread protests against the Citizenship Bill, with protesters taking to the streets, blocking roads and marching with their clothes off in several parts of the state.

On Tuesday, January 8, a 11-hour bandh, called by AASU and the North East Students Organisation (NESO) had turned violent in Madhabbari district in Tripura, when protesters clashed with police, leaving 15 people, including 10 policemen and 5 protestors, injured as cops lathi-charged, burst tear gas shells and finally opened “blank-fire” to disperse an unruly mob.

Twipra Students’ Federation (TSF), which is a partner student body of North East Students’ Organization (NESO) in Tripura, had set up a blockade at Madhbabari in West Tripura district as part of the North East strike against the bill, which has now been passed in Parliament.

However, after a few hours, there was an altercation between the mob and the police during which a section of agitators set some shops ablaze. In order to control the mob, police burst tear gas shells and made “blank-fires” to disperse the mob. Three agitators sustained bullet wounds and several others were injured in the subsequent police lathi-charge.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb, had, however, alleged the involvement of Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), a tribal party, and the CPI(M), in the incidents of road blockade at Madhabbari and ordered a Magisterial enquiry for the same.

He maintained that the that the Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed with positive thinking and that Tripura has a long tradition of giving shelter to the refugees.

It is notable here that the people of Assam have been demanding the ouster of Bangladeshis illegally settled in the state and a significant chunk of the Assamese population also believes Bengali Hindus too should be ousted from the state as they have encroached upon Assamese rights and benefits.

The chief minister of Tripura said if any person or organisation or political party wants to oppose anything they should do it in a democratic manner, but anybody taking the law into their own hands would not be tolerated.

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