Bengal main target: Mamata Banerjee says 'NRC-like approach' in voter roll revision

India Today

4 hours ago

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday questioned the Election Commission's new electoral roll guidelines ahead of the Bihar Assembly election, likening it to the NRC process, saying it was aimed at politically targeting West Bengal, which will head to the polls next year.She accused the poll panel of isolating voters born between July 1987 and December 2004 and seeking documentary evidence of their citizenship in the name of "special intensive revision of electoral rolls".advertisement"I received two letters from the poll body, each comprising 25-30 pages. I haven't been able to go through them in detail so far. But from what I have understood from a cursory glance, the commission is now seeking a declaration form from voters born between July 1, 1987, and December 2, 2004, which is Annexure D in one of the letters, where they will have to submit birth certificates of both parents as proof of citizenship," Banerjee said.
"I don't understand the reason behind the Election Commission's move or the rationale behind selecting these dates. This is nothing short of a scam. I seek clarification from the Commission on whether they are trying to implement the NRC through backdoors. In fact, this looks to be more dangerous than the NRC, which every political party in opposition must resist," she added.advertisementBanerjee alleged that voters' names were being deleted allegedly at the BJP's behest and questioned the Election Commission's move ahead of the Bihar Assembly polls slated to be held later this year."There are many scams in this declaration form. I just pointed out one of them. The names get cancelled on the instructions of the BJP at the last moment. Bihar is not a factor, as only 2.5 months are left for the polls. Other states, especially Bengal, are targeted. They want to capture using the commission and agencies," she said.Banerjee revealed that the letters were sent to the Bihar government and a copy was forwarded to her as well."Nothing will happen in Bihar because the BJP rules that state and the state elections there are at the doorstep. Their real target is Bengal. They want to delete the names of valid young voters. Many parents will not be able to furnish their birth certificates. They are targeting the migrant worker community of Bengal, students, villagers and uneducated voters,' she alleged.The Chief Minister claimed that voters who will be removed from the electoral roll would be kept in detention camps and lose their identity."Those who are studying or working outside should be careful that their names are in the voter list till the last day [of polling]. I got information that 100 migrant workers are being held captive in Odisha's Cuttack. Some of our people are held in Balasore police station as well. Why are these incidents happening daily?" Banerjee said.advertisement"We totally condemn the attitude of the agency, run by the BJP itself. The Election Commission is functioning as per Amit Shah's instructions these days. He is running the country," she alleged.She asserted that the Trinamool Congress was the first opposition party to raise its voice on the issue and urged other parties to speak out soon.Urging people to stay vigilant of such "attempts to snatch away their right to vote", Banerjee warned that the move will "backfire on the BJP".- Ends(with inputs from PTI)