Former Tripura Chief Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party candidate Biplab Deb hit out at the Communist Party of India (Marxist) over their poll promise of complete elimination of India’s nuclear weapons.

Terming the CPI (M) manifesto an “anti-Indian document,” he said that it reflects the aspirations of neighbouring countries — Pakistan and China — who eagerly want India to be ‘powerless’ globally.

The Rajya Sabha MP is BJP’s candidate from West Tripura Parliamentary constituency.

 The former Chief Minister asked the CPI-M top leaders of Tripura, including former Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, Leader of Opposition Jitendra Choudhary and other senior leaders, to apologise before the people of Tripura for fostering “anti-Indian agendas.”

 “The leaders of CPI (M) here in Tripura keep delivering sermons. Manik Sarkar in public meetings, justifies the unity between Congress and CPI (M), saying that democracy is under attack…They want to make India powerless against Pakistan and China,” Deb told a public gathering at Madhupur market under Sepahijala district of Tripura.

Deb recalled how the “whole world was left red faced” when India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, declared itself as a ‘Nuclear Power’ and the US slapped multiple sanctions on India but the country “endured the hard times.”

 “This proves the Communists don’t want the country to be a global superpower,” Deb added.

On Home Minister Amit Shah’s visit to Tripura, Deb said that the Home Minister wants Tripura to be a frontrunner state in terms of development.

 “When we have been speaking privately before his public address, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said he genuinely wants to make Tripura a front runner state of the country. He assured me that he would extend all possible help whenever needed and if required, he will take the side of Tripura in front of PM Modi for the state’s development,” the former CM added.

 Last week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also lashed out at the INDIA bloc over the CPI (M) manifesto’s declaration of eliminating nuclear weapons in the country. He said that at a time when two of India’s neighbours are armed with nuclear weapons, the opposition wants to make India ‘powerless’.

Notably, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) — which is part of the INDIA bloc — in its manifesto has promised “complete elimination of nuclear weapons and other weapons of mass destruction including chemical and biological weapons.”