Cong encouraging militancy in Tripura: Karat

Agartala, Feb 4: CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat alleged that the Congress was encouraging extremist forces by forging electoral alliance with the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura (INPT), which he termed a ''mask for extremists''.

Addressing an election rally here yesterday, Mr Karat said, ''The Congress has been encouraging extremists and when Rajiv Gandhi was the Prime Minister, he had encouraged underground forces in Tripura to destabilise the Left Front government.'' ''The INPT is not an ordinary political party, it is backed by militant outfits and is a political front of tribal militant outfits,'' Mr Karat said.

He also claimed that the Left Front would retain power for another term and strengthen the unity among the tribals and non-tribals.

UNI