Hours after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for round-the-clock monitoring of EVM strong rooms, tensions escalated in Kolkata on Thursday as Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders Kunal Ghosh and Shashi Panja staged a sit-in protest at Khudiram Anushilan Kendra, alleging irregularities inside the facility. The situation further intensified outside a strong room near Netaji Indoor Stadium, where sloganeering and protests were reported ahead of Banerjee’s arrival.
Allegations of Irregularities
Leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress accused officials of allowing access to ballot boxes without authorised representatives present. They shared CCTV footage on social media, calling it a “murder of democracy in broad daylight.” The party also claimed a lack of transparency and denial of entry to their representatives.
BJP’s Response
Meanwhile, BJP leader Tapas Roy rejected the allegations and defended the security arrangements at the strong rooms. He stated that all protocols were being followed and accused the TMC of creating unnecessary drama.
The protest comes amid heightened political tensions in West Bengal, with the counting of votes scheduled for May 2. Banerjee had earlier urged her party workers to guard EVMs and questioned the credibility of the polling process.
