New Delhi: The BJP Wednesday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her remarks on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and said that the democratic process of the country will not work according to the Trinamool Congress President but as per the Constitution.
This came a day after Chief Minister Banerjee accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) of unilaterally deleting names from the draft electoral rolls during the SIR process in the state. She alleged that women voters were being targeted and their names were being removed during the SIR process.
Reacting to this, BJP national spokesperson Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said that the West Bengal CM is in “complete despair” and that is why she is making such statements.
Speaking to IANS, Naqvi said, “The departure of the blood-stained rule of Kansa is necessary for the people and soil of West Bengal. The people of West Bengal have suffered great harm under this rule. These kings and queens of this blood-stained rule are seen creating a nuisance in complete despair.”
BJP MP Shashank Mani Tripathi claimed that CM Banerjee and the Opposition are “conspiring against SIR in a big way”.
“SIR is also being implemented in Uttar Pradesh. I am an MP from there. I am seeing that every party and every class is satisfied with it. If our voter list is not correct, then how will democracy be strengthened? Democracy will not work as per Mamata Banerjee’s directions; it will run as per the ECI and Constitution,” Tripathi told IANS.
He further said that the way she “ran away” with the files during the ED raid should also be investigated.
UP Minister Anil Rajbhar claimed that the public will not pay any attention to the Opposition’s statements about the SIR.
Speaking to IANS, Rajbhar said, “If any Opposition party is talking about the Election Commission today – whether it is the Samajwadi Party, the TMC, or Stalin’s party in Tamil Nadu – whoever it may be, the public is neither listening to them seriously nor paying attention.”
“The ECI is doing the right thing by conducting the SIR; it is very necessary to remove infiltrators from our country. The way Mamata Banerjee is reacting, the people will surely understand that these actions harm the country,” he added.
The West Bengal CM had alleged that nearly 58 lakh names were removed using the powers of electoral registration officers and claimed that the exercise was carried out to benefit the BJP.
Calling it a serious error, the Trinamool Congress chief said, “This is the biggest blunder of the ECI. They have played a game with the people to favour the BJP. They thought that by engaging in a black game and performing black magic, they would snatch the democratic rights of the people.”
“Names of 5.8 million voters were illegally and unethically struck off without giving them a chance to explain. Women, who have changed their surname or have shifted to a new address after marriage, have been targeted,” the Chief Minister said.
She further alleged that similar strategies were adopted in other states.
“They did the same thing in Maharashtra, Haryana and Bihar. No one could understand what happened. When people came to understand after the final roll was published, they didn’t get justice, as the ECI had already announced the election dates by then. They have similar plans here,” CM Banerjee said, referring to the deletion of around 5.8 million names from the draft electoral roll published December 16.
