Agartala, May 26 : As part of its nation-wide programme, the Congress in Tripura held protest rallies in different parts of Tripura on Saturday to observe the "Vishwasghat Divas" on the 4th anniversary of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

Congress leader Gopal Roy said that the "Vishwasghat Divas" (betrayal day) was observed to highlight the failure of pre-poll promises and miss-governance of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led government at the Centre.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not fulfil any of his pre-poll tall promises including providing two crore jobs per year to the youths," Roy told the media after a protest rally here.

He said that the party, as part of observance of "Vishwasghat Divas", held protests, rallies and dharna in every district of the country on Saturday.

"After the BJP government came to power four years ago, people in general living in much suffering and the masses, specially the minority people are passing their days with a great fear and panic as series of attacks unleashed on them," the Congress leader said.

Roy, a three-time former Congress MLA, said that in Tripura, without following legal and democratic process, the BJP government in the state autocratically bulldozed a large number of party offices of the Congress and its frontal organisations.

"Some of the Congress offices are 70 years old and have valid official documents. Even the West Tripura District Magistrate and Collector did not follow the court orders against the demolitions," said Roy, adding the BJP-led alliance government's functioning in Tripura is "worse than the British rule".

Officials said the district administrations since May 7 demolished some party offices of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and the Congress as these were built on government land.

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Mangalore: Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and a prominent social activist, expressed strong concerns over the current political environment in India, stating that it deviates from the vision of the nation's founders. Speaking at a seminar in Mangalore on Monday, Gandhi emphasized that the unity that earned India its liberty has been overshadowed by divisive politics focused on caste and religion.

He was addressing a gathering at a one-day seminar and book release event organized by the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, Bangalore, in collaboration with Mangalore University, Mangala Gangotri, National Service Scheme (NSS), and the Kumbra Jathappa Rai Prasthistana, Puttur. The seminar was aimed at discussing the relevance of Gandhi’s ideology for today’s youth.

In his special address on the topic “Relevance of Gandhi’s Ideology to Today’s Youth,” Gandhi lamented how today’s political leaders have realized that dividing and ruling the electorate is the way forward. He expressed frustration that the electorate is often left to choose between poor political options, with no ideal candidates in sight. "We are in a zone where we have to elect from all the bad options. No ideal options are left when it comes to politics. We elect people who should be nowhere in public life," he said, underscoring the decline in political integrity.

Gandhi also criticized the ongoing discussions surrounding the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC). He argued that the code disproportionately targets Muslims, while other personal laws remain unaffected. He pointed out that the current political regime’s push for UCC reflects an attempt to alter the Constitution through indirect means, calling it “changing the Constitution through the backdoor.”

In a pointed remark about the current atmosphere for minorities, Gandhi questioned whether a person from a minority community would feel comfortable or confident seeing an individual in an RSS uniform working at a government office. He asserted that this discomfort is exactly what the present regime seeks to instill in minorities, furthering their marginalization.

Gandhi’s remarks resonated with the audience, drawing attention to the stark contrast between the ideals of Mahatma Gandhi and the prevailing political discourse. He warned that the political and social divisions seen today were far from what the nation's founders had envisioned, calling for a return to the principles of unity and secularism.

The seminar also featured notable speakers and dignitaries. Nadoja Dr. Wooday P. Krishna, President of the Karnataka Gandhi Smaraka Nidhi, delivered the keynote address. Dr. Shantaram Shetty, Pro Vice Chancellor of Nitte University, Mangalore, was the guest of honor, releasing two books authored by Pramod Kumar Rai, founder of Kumbra Jathappa Rai Pratistana, Puttur. The books titled "On the Trail of Gandhi’s Footsteps" and "Before I Return to the Soil" reflect on Gandhi’s ideology and its impact on society.

Presiding over the event was Prof. P.L. Dharma, Vice Chancellor of Mangalore University, who praised the significance of such discussions in today’s context. Dr. Sheshappa K, NSS Coordinator of Mangalore University, and Prof. Ganapati Gowda, Principal of University College, Mangalore, were also present during the seminar.