‘After elections, you're under state govt again': Mamata tells BLOs not to harass any voter unnecessarily

Indian Express

6 days ago

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday sought to remind booth-level officers (BLOs), who assist the Election Commission in preparing and updating voters' lists, that they work for the state government before and after elections, urging them to ensure no legitimate voter is removed from the lists.
Speaking during an administrative meeting at Bolpur in Birbhum district, the chief minister also said she was not informed about the training given to the BLOs from the state in Delhi.
'About 1,000 BLOs were taken from West Bengal to Delhi for training, but I had no knowledge about it. I feel at least the district magistrates should have informed me, or informed the chief secretary. My request to the BLOs is to ensure that no one's name is removed from the voter list. Remember, after the election is announced, it comes under their purview. Before that, it is the state government, and again after the elections, it is the state government. So remember this: you are working for the state government. Don't harass any person unnecessarily,' Banerjee said.
The chief minister also addressed widespread concerns about the alleged harassment of Bengali migrant workers in other states, especially those governed by the BJP.
'Children are also being harassed in other states. The Assam Government is sending notices to people of Bengal. Where does such audacity come from? If someone is gone for four days, does that mean his or her name will be removed from the voters' list?' she said.
'There are 2.2 million migrants; bring them back,' she further said, advising district magistrates to 'keep their eyes and ears open' and expressing dissatisfaction with their current efforts.
Banerjee announced a scheme to assist migrants returning to West Bengal after alleged persecution. The scheme will 'include provisions to help them return safely, issue ration and job cards, and provide temporary shelters to those without a place to stay', the chief minister said.
The chief minister strongly condemned the alleged persecution of Bengali-speaking migrants, calling it a 'deliberate' and 'politically motivated' act.
'Not just religious minorities, the poor and OBCs are also being targeted by them (the BJP). We must stand beside all persecuted Bengali migrants,' she said.
The chief minister also touched upon recent law and order issues, including the murder of two Trinamool workers in Birbhum, and criticised the police. She reiterated the need for proactive policing under the Amar Para, Amar Samadhan (our neighbourhood, our solution) scheme.
The chief minister's remarks come amid a politically charged atmosphere in West Bengal, with reports of alleged harassment of Bengali migrants in states such as Gujarat, Haryana, Rajasthan, Odisha, and Maharashtra causing concern among their families back home.
Sweety Kumari reports from West Bengal for The Indian Express. She is a journalist with over a decade of experience in the media industry. Covers Crime, Defence, Health , Politics etc and writes on trending topics.
With a keen eye for investigative and human-interest stories. She has honed her craft across diverse beats including aviation, health, incidents etc. Sweety delivers impactful journalism that informs and engages audiences.
Sweety Kumari is a graduate of Calcutta University with an Honors degree in Journalism from Jaipuria College and a PG in Mass Communication from Jadavpur University. Originally from Bihar, she is brought up in Kolkata and completed her education from Kendriya Vidyalaya SaltLake. Multilingual, Sweety is fluent in English, Hindi, Bengali, and Maithili. She started her career as an Entertainment and lifestyle journalist with a newsportal in Kolkata. She is working with The Indian Express for 8 years now. ... Read More