By Firstdespatch Desk Jun 27, 2023
Agartala, Jun 27 (FD) In an instance of hooliganism, the statue of revered CPI (M) stalwart and former Deputy Chief Minister, Baidyanath Majumder, was vandalized and beheaded by unidentified miscreants. The disgraceful act took place at the Baidyanath Majumder Memorial Higher Secondary School in Sonamukhi, under the Chandipur assembly constituency in Kailasahar subdivision.
On Monday, teachers and students arrived at the school discovered the disheartening sight of the beheaded statue. Baidyanath Majumder, who passed away on June 7, 2011, had held prominent roles within the CPI (M) as a minister, deputy chief minister, party secretary, and central committee member.
This unfortunate incident is not the first of its kind, as during the rule of the BJP-IPFT coalition government, local miscreants associated with the BJP had previously shattered Baidyanath Majumder's statue. The trend of such iconoclasm began after the BJP-IPFT government assumed power, with several instances of vandalism targeting CPI (M) offices and statues.
Under the leadership of deposed chief minister Biplab Kumar Deb, a number of Lenin statues were vandalized, CPI (M) offices invaded, and even demolished. The state CPI (M) leadership documented numerous attacks on their offices and statues during the first year of the BJP-IPFT rule, including instances of arson, occupation of party offices, and complete destruction of several CPI (M) premises.
While the law and order situation has shown signs of improvement since the incumbent chief minister, Dr. Manik Saha, assumed office, the beheading of Baidyanath Majumder's statue highlights the vulnerability of the ruling BJP to miscreants and criminals operating under its banner. The incident has drawn attention to the need for stronger measures to control such acts of vandalism and maintain public order. FD SB JK