Tripura: Muslims pray for departed Hindu MLA, say he served both communities equally
Agartala, Jan 7: Hundreds of Muslims from Tripura's Ramnagar Assembly constituency on Sunday offered prayers for Surajit Datta, a BJP MLA who passed away on December 28.
Datta, a seven-time MLA, was admired by both the Hindus and Muslims for his generosity, locals said. He died at a hospital in Kolkata after a prolonged illness at age 71.
Abdul Rahim, the imam of South Ramnagar mosque, said, "Datta served both communities equally and always helped us when needed."
"On Sunday, we held a prayer for the departed soul and for the wellbeing of his family. He was like a guardian to us, supporting us in every step of life," he added.
Rahim also mentioned that a special prayer will be held in all the mosques of Ramnagar Assembly constituency for Datta next Friday.
Mohan Dutta, the MLA's younger brother, expressed gratitude to the Muslim community for their support.
"I would like to thank the members of the Muslim community for offering prayers for my elder brother, who worked tirelessly for the wellbeing of both communities in his constituency. Our Muslim brothers came to our residence on Sunday and prayed for my brother. It demonstrates that my brother served the people of his constituency in the best possible way," he added.
"Although I have lost my brother, our doors will remain open for everyone. Our family does not discriminate people based on their caste, creed, or religion. We serve all people," he added.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
