West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a massive rally in Kolkata organized by the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list. The CM accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading false information, claiming Bengali migrants are from Bangladesh, as part of a deliberate campaign to create fear among voters in the state.
Mamata’s Strong Criticism of BJP
Addressing the rally, Mamata Banerjee sharply criticized the BJP, saying the party is deliberately labeling Bengali migrants as Bangladeshis to spread misinformation against West Bengal. She termed the SIR process as a strategy to intimidate voters. “This is a calculated attempt to instill fear among the electorate of West Bengal,” Mamata said, emphasizing that TMC firmly opposes this move.
She also demanded that the Election Commission should disclose the exact number of Rohingyas and Bangladeshi migrants identified during similar revisions in Bihar, underscoring the need for transparency.
TMC Leaders Condemn SIR Process
Senior TMC leader Derek O’Brien described the SIR initiative as manipulative practices by an otherwise conciliatory institution, referring to the Election Commission. O’Brien asserted that the party is confident of a resounding victory in the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections.
In a post on ‘X’, O’Brien highlighted TMC’s consistent electoral performance:
- Assembly Elections: 2011, 2016, 2021
- Lok Sabha Elections: 2014, 2019, 2024
He emphasized that Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee are leading the opposition against SIR, calling it a scheme executed under the guise of the Election Commission’s authority.
Background on SIR
The Election Commission is conducting the second phase of SIR across 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal, where Assembly elections are scheduled next year. SIR involves a thorough verification of voter lists to identify discrepancies, but political parties have raised concerns about its misuse to influence voter sentiment.
— Political Desk, Kolkata
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