'Picked And Removed Like Lice': Mamata Puts Voter Deletion Row At Centre Of Bengal Election

Mamata Banerjee claims Matua, Rajbanshi and minority voters are being removed from West Bengal's electoral rolls ahead of the April assembly elections.

Banerjee alleged that names were being removed from voter rolls by targeting specific communities.

Source : ANI

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Mamata Banerjee alleges voter roll deletions targeting minority communities.
• Nearly 91 lakh voters removed from rolls post-revision exercise.
• TMC vows support for excluded voters, offering legal assistance.

Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday alleged that names of people belonging to the Matua and minority communities were deleted from the post-SIR voter rolls in the state.

Addressing a rally at Chakdaha in Nadia district, Banerjee said that the TMC will stand by those whose names were excluded from the voter rolls, following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise.

According to latest Election Commission data, nearly 91 lakh voters have been deleted from the electoral rolls in West Bengal after the SIR process.

The poll panel is yet to announce the finally altered voter base for the state after the roll revision process.

As per official data released on February 28, 63.66 lakh names, around 8.3 per cent of the electorate, were deleted since the SIR process began in November last year, reducing the voter base from about 7.66 crore to just over 7.04 crore Accusing the Centre of discrimination, Banerjee alleged that names were being removed from voter rolls by targeting specific communities.

“Why this discrimination? You are excluding Matuas, Rajbanshis and minorities. Do you think that people do not understand this?” the CM said.

She also claimed that in districts with significant minority population such as Murshidabad, Malda and North Dinajpur, names were “picked and removed like lice” from the electoral rolls.

Banerjee asserted that following her intervention in the Supreme Court, around 32 lakh names out of nearly 60 lakh cases under ‘adjudication’ had been restored.

“Those whose names are still missing should apply before the tribunal. The TMC will stand by you and provide legal support,” she said.

Questioning the Centre’s stand on infiltration, Banerjee said the Union government has the reponsibility of protecting the country’s borders, but it was blaming the West Bengal government for infiltration.

Describing the upcoming assembly polls as a battle to protect people’s identity and democratic rights, the TMC supremo urged voters to respond through the ballot.

“This election is a fight to save your democracy, language and respect so that no one can ever call you a foreigner,” Banerjee said.

Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases - on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4. 

(Disclaimer: This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)

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