Kolkata, Mar 21 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to “snatch away the voting rights” of people through the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls ahead of the assembly polls.
Addressing thousands of worshippers after Eid prayers at Kolkata’s Red Road, the TMC supremo alleged that the SIR exercise, which the ruling party claimed had led to large-scale deletions of voter names, was part of a “broader attempt” to influence the electoral process in the state.
“We will not allow (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi ji to take away your voting rights. We will fight till the end to protect democracy and the rights of every citizen,” Banerjee said.
Her remarks come amid an intensifying political row over the electoral roll revision exercise, which the TMC has repeatedly described as an attempt to remove names of genuine voters, particularly from minority-dominated areas, ahead of the polls.
Banerjee warned that any move to disenfranchise voters in the name of revision or verification of electoral rolls would be resisted by her party.
“Those who are targeting Bengal and trying to divide people should go to hell,” she said, drawing loud cheers from the gathering.
The chief minister also invoked Bengal’s long tradition of communal harmony, saying that the state would not allow forces trying to polarise society to succeed.
“Bengal believes in unity. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians — everyone lives together here. We will not allow anyone to break this social fabric,” she said.
The annual Eid congregation on Red Road – one of the largest in eastern India – has often doubled as a political platform during election years, offering parties an opportunity to reach out to the state’s Muslim electorate, which constitutes around 30 per cent of the population.
This year’s event carries added political significance as the state heads towards a high-stakes assembly election, with the TMC seeking a fourth consecutive term and the BJP attempting to consolidate the gains it made in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly elections.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who also addressed the gathering, echoed the chief minister’s attack on alleged attempts to polarise society and asserted that Bengal’s tradition of communal harmony would be protected.
“The communal harmony of Bengal will be protected. Efforts to divide communities will not yield any results,” he said.
Striking a defiant note, the Diamond Harbour MP declared that the TMC would resist any attempt to undermine the democratic rights of people.
“Gardan katega par jhukega nahi (you can chop off my head, but I will not bow),” Abhishek Banerjee said.
Political observers said the TMC’s messaging at the Eid congregation reflects a broader attempt to link the electoral roll scrutiny exercise with its campaign narrative that the “BJP and the Centre are trying to influence the upcoming polls”.
The ruling party has been projecting the issue as a potential threat to the voting rights of large sections of people, while the BJP has dismissed the allegation, asserting that the revision of electoral rolls is a routine exercise conducted by the Election Commission to remove duplicate and ineligible voters.
Against the backdrop of growing political friction over the voter list scrutiny, Banerjee’s remarks signal the TMC’s attempt to frame the upcoming elections as a battle to safeguard democratic rights and Bengal’s plural social fabric.
The elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases – on April 23 and 29. Votes will be counted on May 4. (PTI)
