Protest march against rebel BJP MLA's call for rally against

A day ahead of the rebel BJP MLA and ousted minister Sudip Roy Barman's programme to protest against crimes against women in Tripura, thousands of women on Thursday walked in a rally here condemning his move alleging that he had asked a torture victim to make peace with her attackers in 2014.

The rally which was claimed to be apolitical witnessed the presence of BJP Mahila Morcha leaders and workers in large numbers.

It was called by one Soma Majumder, who was tied to a pole and assaulted by a group of people in 2014. A local court sentenced seven people including three women to rigorous imprisonment in connection with the case.

Majumder, who later joined the BJP, alleged that Barman - he was a Congress MLA then - had asked her to reconcile with the culprits.

"The then Governor PB Acharya came to my rescue and gave me hope. With his encouragement, I filed a complaint in the court. Sudip Roy Barman is the man behind tomorrow's rally. I would ask him why he is organizing a rally on crime against women," she said.

State BJP Mahila Morcha president Papia Dutta alleged that the Congress-Tripura Upajati Juba Samiti alliance regime from 1988 to 1993 had witnessed the highest incidents of crimes against women and Barman was a Youth Congress leader at that time.

Barman was dropped from the cabinet of Biplab Deb in May last year for "anti-party activities".

"My rally is strictly against crimes against women. I will not comment on the remarks made in today's rally," he told reporters.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb had said in September last year that cases related to dowry torture had reduced by 12 per cent in 2018 compared to 2017, rape cases by 5 per cent, molestation cases by 18 per cent, dowry deaths reduced by 45 per cent and eve-teasing cases by 33 per cent since his government came to power in the state.

Barman, however, said "When women are humiliated, tortured or abused, we cannot remain silent spectators. So, I have called the rally tomorrow. It is an apolitical move.