New Delhi, February 5: The West Bengal BJP President, Samik Bhattacharya, reiterated on Wednesday that the electoral rolls of West Bengal include Bangladeshi infiltrators, Rohingyas, and fake voters. He emphasized that these infiltrators will be identified, removed, and expelled from the country.
Speaking to the media at the BJP’s state headquarters in New Delhi, Bhattacharya was accompanied by Sukanta Majumdar, BJP MP from Balurghat, and a state minister.
Majumdar labeled Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee‘s visit to the national capital from February 1 to 4 as mere ‘drama.’ He noted that her demonstrations took place first in front of the state guest house, then at the Election Commission headquarters, and the following day at the Supreme Court.
He sarcastically remarked, “Mamata Banerjee‘s drama is just for the cameras, an attempt to draw attention to herself. Wherever she goes, everything is pre-arranged behind the scenes, but her efforts have completely flopped.”
Majumdar pointed out that the Supreme Court typically does not advise a Chief Minister to remain silent or avoid speaking too much. However, in this instance, a judge effectively told Banerjee to ‘be quiet’ in a very measured and clear manner.
He questioned how many district magistrates or local administrations in West Bengal had informed the Chief Election Commissioner, and how many death certificates had been submitted to the Election Commission. This inquiry was made in the context of allegations raised by Banerjee regarding deaths related to the SIR (Special Investigation Report).
According to media reports, during her visit, the Chief Minister presented families affected by issues related to the SIR to the Chief Election Commissioner and later to the media.
Subsequently, Banerjee argued her case against the SIR in the Supreme Court surrounded by several lawyers.
Bhattacharya stated that the SIR practice is ongoing in 12 states across the country, but West Bengal is witnessing the most uproar against it.
He recalled that in August 2005, Banerjee herself demanded voter identification cards, alleging that only names of Bangladeshi infiltrators were being included in the electoral rolls, which the CPI(M) intended to use in elections. Now, the same Banerjee has arrived in Delhi opposing the SIR process.
Bhattacharya asserted that Banerjee’s claims regarding the responsibility of monitoring centers at the border are incorrect. West Bengal shares a nearly 2,200-kilometer border with Bangladesh, much of which is porous and filled with water bodies. He stated that no single force can prevent illegal infiltration; it requires both political will and public awareness.
Both Bhattacharya and Majumdar also mentioned that booth-level officials are being intimidated. A woman BLO’s husband was even attacked. BJP booth-level agents and workers are being obstructed from submitting Form-7.
Bhattacharya stated, “Booth-level officials are being threatened, and a woman BLO’s husband was attacked.”
The Rajya Sabha MP claimed that over 300 BJP workers have been victims of violence since 2016. He noted, “In just 27 days during the 2021 assembly elections, 56 workers were killed, including women. Many women have openly reported that they were gang-raped.”
Bhattacharya and Majumdar concluded that the Trinamool Congress has lost its grassroots support, which is why it is now raising the SIR issue in the Supreme Court and elsewhere to exert pressure and engage in political suppression.
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