Agartala, September 19: Tipra Motha has lodged a complaint with the Tripura State Election Commission (SEC), alleging that a doctored video is being circulated on social media in an attempt to malign the party and stoke communal tension ahead of the Village Council elections.
In a complaint submitted to the State Election Commissioner, Tipra Motha general secretary Brishaketu Debbarma alleged that footage from a peaceful election campaign and audio from an entirely separate protest programme had been deliberately spliced together to create a misleading video.
The complaint alleged that provocative slogans from the unrelated protest were superimposed on visuals of a Tipra Motha campaign procession, creating the impression that the slogans were raised by the party’s workers during the election campaign.
Speaking to reporters, MDC and YFT president Suraj Debbarma rejected the allegation and said no slogan targeting any community had been raised at any Tipra Motha rally, meeting or public programme.
He alleged that the circulation of the manipulated video was intended to mislead voters, damage the party’s image and disturb communal harmony during the election process.
The party’s complaint also highlighted its stated commitment to Thansa, or unity among communities in Tripura, under the leadership of Tipra Motha founder Pradyot Bikram Kishore Manikya Debbarma.
Seeking an immediate probe, the party urged the SEC to identify those behind the creation and circulation of the alleged doctored video, including the social media accounts and organisations involved in disseminating it.
Tipra Motha has also sought coordination between the SEC, police and cybercrime authorities to remove or block the allegedly manipulated content and initiate legal action against those responsible.
The party has further urged the Commission to issue a public warning against the circulation of fabricated or manipulated content capable of inflaming communal tensions during the election period.
Tipra Motha said it had submitted digital evidence to the Commission in support of its complaint.
