BJP-led Indian govt attempts to “snatch away voting rights” of people through SIR: Mamata Banerjee
Kolkata : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has denounced the BJP-led Indian government, saying, it is attempting to “snatch away the voting rights” of people through Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and even describing Prime Minister Narendra Modi as the “biggest infiltrator”.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Mamata Banerjee addressing worshippers after Eid prayers in Kolkata described the upcoming assembly elections as a battle to protect democratic rights and Bengal’s plural social fabric.
“We will not allow Modi and the BJP to take away your voting rights. We will fight till the end,” Banerjee told the gathering, adding that she had approached courts from Kolkata to Delhi to challenge the process.
Her remarks come amid an escalating political confrontation over the Election Commission’s voter roll revision exercise, which the ruling Trinamool Congress says has led to the deletion of names of genuine voters, particularly from minority-dominated areas.
“When you go abroad, you shake hands with leaders and speak of friendship. That is your choice, and I respect all countries. But when you return to India, suddenly the Hindu-Muslim narrative begins, and people are called infiltrators,” she said.
“You then call for deleting names and labelling people as infiltrators. I would say you and your government are the biggest infiltrators,” Banerjee said.
“Many people’s names have been deleted from the voter list during the SIR exercise. I have knocked on the doors of the Calcutta High Court and even the Supreme Court. I still hope people’s rights will be protected,” she said.
“Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians — everyone lives together in Bengal. We will not allow anyone to break this unity,” Banerjee said.
