Congress Alleges Police Obstruction of Youth Congress Programme, Sudip Roy Barman Accuses Administration of Double Standards

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, August 9, 2026

A fresh political controversy has erupted in Tripura over the alleged denial of adequate police support to a programme organised by the Tripura Pradesh Youth Congress, with senior Congress MLA Sudip Roy Barman sharply criticising the police administration and accusing it of adopting different standards while dealing with political programmes.

Roy Barman alleged that a large police presence was deployed when the ruling establishment organised programmes and political gatherings, but the same administration appeared reluctant to provide permission, security and logistical support when opposition parties sought to organise democratic programmes. He questioned whether the police and civil administration were applying the same rules to the ruling and opposition parties.

According to Roy Barman, the Youth Congress had approached the police administration in advance and obtained the necessary written permission for conducting its programme. Despite this, he alleged, police officials subsequently raised various objections and created obstacles in the way of the programme.

The Congress MLA reportedly expressed his displeasure directly before senior police officials, questioning why permission granted by the administration was being effectively undermined at the implementation stage. He argued that if the police had genuine concerns about law and order, those concerns should have been communicated clearly before permission was granted.

Roy Barman also criticised what he described as the administration's changing position on the arrangements for the programme. He alleged that the authorities were reluctant to facilitate the opposition's event while significant police and security resources were deployed for programmes associated with the ruling side.

The controversy comes against the backdrop of growing political friction between the Congress and the state administration over the functioning of law-enforcement agencies. Roy Barman has repeatedly accused the government of using administrative machinery selectively against political opponents, allegations that the ruling establishment has rejected.

During the latest episode, Roy Barman reportedly challenged police officials to take legal action against him if they believed he had violated any law. He said that if the authorities had sufficient grounds, they should register an FIR or initiate appropriate legal proceedings rather than allegedly attempting to obstruct political activity through administrative pressure.

He also questioned whether political programmes organised by the opposition were being treated as a law-and-order problem while programmes of the ruling party were being facilitated without similar restrictions.

The Congress leader's remarks have added another layer to the ongoing debate over political space, police neutrality and the right of opposition parties to organise public programmes in Tripura. The Congress has maintained that opposition parties must be allowed to conduct peaceful political activities within the framework of law, while the administration and police have a responsibility to maintain public order without political discrimination.

The issue is particularly significant as the Congress continues to intensify its organisational activities in the state. The party has in recent months repeatedly raised allegations concerning police action, law-and-order management and the alleged misuse of administrative machinery. In June, the Tripura Congress had also demanded action against a CRPF officer over alleged excessive force during a Youth Congress protest in Agartala.

Roy Barman, one of the Congress's prominent leaders in Tripura and the sitting MLA from Agartala, has previously raised similar concerns over the functioning of law-enforcement agencies and alleged political interference.

The latest confrontation is therefore likely to further intensify the political debate over whether the state administration is maintaining an equal distance from ruling and opposition parties. The Congress is expected to continue raising the issue politically and seek explanations from the government and police authorities over the circumstances surrounding the Youth Congress programme.

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