West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is scheduled to meet Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday, said she and her party would “continue to fight” over what they allege is a flawed and biased Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state. The meeting comes amid heightened political tensions around the nationwide revision exercise being conducted by the Election Commission.
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Speaking at a press conference in the national capital, Banerjee also alleged that people from West Bengal were being mistreated in Delhi and criticised the conduct of authorities, saying the Trinamool Congress (TMC) would firmly raise these issues before constitutional institutions.
“We will continue to fight,” Banerjee said, adding that her party would not remain silent on issues affecting Bengalis outside the state.
‘Red carpet in Bengal, black carpet in Delhi’
Addressing reporters, Banerjee announced her visit to Banga Bhawan, the West Bengal state guest house in Delhi, to meet people from the state and review their grievances. She sharply criticised the treatment meted out to them, drawing a contrast between the reception given to Union leaders in Bengal and the experience of Bengalis in the national capital.
“I am going to Banga Bhawan to see our people, and the atrocities of the Delhi Police… When the Home Minister comes to Bengal, we give him the red carpet. But when we come to Delhi, you give us the black carpet… Please restrain yourself from the atrocities, from the torture of the Bengal people who have lost their lives.”
She further underlined her resolve to continue the political battle, saying, “If no one fights in this country, I will fight, our party will fight…there is a meeting at 3 PM tomorrow, and the media has been called for a press conference in Banga Bhawan… The people of Delhi don’t know what’s happening in Bengal… I just now got the information, and I didn’t change even my clothes.”
Meanwhile, there was a heavy deployment of Delhi Police outside the two Banga Bhawans located on Hailey Road and in Chanakyapuri, as senior TMC leaders gathered in the capital.
TMC delegation to flag ‘biased’ SIR exercise
A 15-member delegation of the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee and party National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, is set to meet the Chief Election Commissioner to formally register the party’s objections to the SIR process in West Bengal. The TMC has alleged that the revision is being conducted in a “biased, arbitrary, discriminatory, and politically motivated” manner.
In a post on X, the party said, “Today, led by Smt.@MamataOfficial and Shri@abhishekaitc, a 15-member delegation will meet the Chief Election Commissioner to formally place on record our grave concerns over the biased, arbitrary, discriminatory, and politically motivated conduct of SIR in Bengal.” The post further added, “The delegation will present our categorical demands and seek urgent corrective action, especially as our repeated representations to @ECISVEEPhave thus far been met with silence.”
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The Election Commission is currently carrying out a nationwide Special Intensive Revision in 12 states and Union Territories, with the final electoral rolls scheduled to be published on February 7. The states and UTs covered under the exercise include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal. |
