Mamata: SIR a 'big scam' to help BJP; 90 lakh deleted voters, 250 deaths
Mamata: SIR a 'big scam' to help BJP; 90 lakh deleted voters, 250 deaths
Mamata Banerjee accuses EC-backed SIR of a mass voter purge to aid BJP, citing 90 lakh deletions and over 250 deaths across West Bengal.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday launched a broad attack against the Election Commission's Special Summary Revision (SIR), calling it a 'big scam' designed to help the BJP win. She claimed the exercise led to indiscriminate deletions from the electoral rolls and alleged more than 250 people died during the process. At a rally in Paschim Medinipur, she said of the 90 lakh deleted voters, 60 lakh were Hindus and 30 lakh were Muslims, arguing that such numbers cast doubt on the citizenship and fairness of the exercise. She warned that the saffron party was attempting to manipulate the system to tilt the polls, and suggested that the deletion of names was part of a broader plan to influence outcomes.
Banerjee also accused the BJP of colluding with the Election Commission to invalidate her Bhabanipur candidature by filing false cases against her, a claim she made while addressing supporters at a campaign stop in Keshiyari. She asserted that the BJP's manoeuvre was foiled by TMC workers and the public, but warned that the attempt showed the party's desperation to win through fraudulent means rather than a democratic contest. She also alleged plans to tamper with EVMs to secure favorable results, tying these alleged moves to the BJP's broader agenda, including promises around a Uniform Civil Code.
The controversy extended to Bhabanipur's wider electoral drama, where Banerjee has faced a tough battle against opposition leaders. In a separate development around Bhowanipore, she claimed that attempts to cancel her nomination were made through 'false affidavits' filed by 'traitors.' Two objections—one involving a name mismatch and another citing old criminal cases—were rejected, while a third issue regarding ballot logistics was resolved, ensuring her name remained on the first EVM. Banerjee framed these episodes as part of a larger pattern of attempts to discredit her and undermine democratic processes.
As the campaign-season heats up, Banerjee urged the electorate to stay vigilant and warned that justice would come after what she described as BJP's drubbing in the assembly polls. The remarks underscore a continuing, highly charged political rivalry in West Bengal as parties prepare for crucial electoral battles.
