Mamata Banerjee Draws Parallel Between Bengal Voter Deletions and Assam NRC
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), drawing a direct comparison between the ongoing voter deletions in Bengal under the Systematic Voters' Education and Electoral Participation (SVEEP) program and the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise in Assam. Speaking at an election rally in Hooghly's Arambagh on Wednesday, Banerjee accused the BJP of failing to learn from the Assam experience and conspiring to implement NRC in Bengal through voter deletions.
"They Are Conspiring to Implement NRC"
"In the guise of deleting voters, they are conspiring to implement the NRC. We will never let this sinister plan succeed," Banerjee declared emphatically. She reminded the crowd of the Assam NRC fallout six years ago, where 19 lakh people were affected—13 lakh Bengali Hindus and six lakh Bengali Muslims. "BJP's tail is on fire trying to delete voters of Trinamool, minorities and women. I want to tell them that once a fire starts, it does not choose the home it burns down—it burns everything," she warned, using vivid imagery to highlight the potential widespread impact.
Targeting the Election Commission
Banerjee also turned her ire towards the Election Commission, alleging it was acting in concert with the BJP. She questioned the tendering process for webcams being installed in polling booths, suggesting foul play. "BJP doesn't have the support of the people. They have hired agencies to put up posters, and agencies are used to fill their rallies. Since they won't be able to provide agents in every booth, the EC has decided to install webcams in booths. Who got the tender? How was it done?" she demanded, directly challenging Union Home Minister Amit Shah, whom she referred to as "Mota Bhai." "You may threaten people as much as you want, but you only have one month left to do these things," she added, setting a timeline for the electoral battle.
Widespread Impact of Voter Deletions
On the issue of voter deletions, Banerjee asserted that every community had been targeted, creating an unfortunate situation for the elections in Bengal. "Countless electors have been deliberately deleted. Women have been targeted. In fact, families that once served Mota Bhai now find themselves struck off the voters' list," she revealed. In her own constituency, she noted around 62,000 votes had been deleted, but remained defiant: "But remember, even if there is only one vote left, Trinamool will get it."
Critique of BJP's "Sonar Bangla" Vision
Taking aim at the BJP's vision of "Sonar Bangla" (Golden Bengal), Banerjee criticized what she described as a sell-off of national assets. "The problem is that everything in this country has been sold, as if a Chaitra Sale is going on," she quipped. She alleged that officers working for Bengal's development were replaced with those inclined towards the BJP, though she expressed hope that they would work without bias in the future. "In the name of SIR, they have destroyed the lives of many. They have targeted Bengal and hatched many conspiracies. All your conspiracies will fail," she stated, questioning the BJP's commitment to Bengal's welfare: "If you wish to build Sonar Bangla, then why are you lynching the people of Bengal? Why are you preventing people from eating fish, meat and eggs? Why have you deleted the names of women, STs, SCs, minorities and Hindus?"
Call for Unity and Defiance
Urging party unity, Banerjee positioned herself as the face of all 294 Trinamool Congress candidates in the upcoming elections. "I urge all my candidates to work unitedly. Not everyone can be a candidate. The workers of Trinamool are the most important to me. Netas must listen to the public. Remember, I am the candidate in all 294 seats," she asserted. She made a direct appeal to voters: "If you want the govt to be headed by me, then vote for TMC. Nobody will be sent to detention camps. We will not let NRC be implemented." Concluding with a bold prediction, she warned the BJP: "BJP should remember that since they have targeted us, we will first defeat them in Bengal and then dethrone them in Delhi as well."
Banerjee also addressed rallies at Balagarh and Serampore in Hooghly, reinforcing her messages against voter deletions and alleged electoral malpractices. Her speeches underscore the high-stakes political climate in West Bengal as elections approach, with issues of voter rights, communal targeting, and institutional bias taking center stage.
