‘Tie Up BJP Leaders If... ’: Abhishek Banerjee On SIR & NRC; Blames BJP, EC For Spreading Panic In Bengal
The TMC general secretary, who is also the nephew of CM Mamata Banerjee, accused the BJP of weaponising the voter list revision to intimidate, disenfranchise sections of Bengal’s electorate.
TMC leader Abhishek Banerjee has accused BJP and the Election Commission of India of creating “panic and anxiety” in West Bengal, which he claimed led to the death of a 57-year-old man near Kolkata. The TMC MP also urged citizens to “confront” and “tie up” local BJP leaders if they demand birth certificates during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, or if a National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise is introduced in the state.
Banerjee made the comments after visiting the family of the deceased man in Panihati, located on the outskirts of Kolkata. The man allegedly took his own life amid fears surrounding the verification process linked to voter lists. His death led to a political slugfest between BJP and TMC.
Linking the incident directly to the SIR process, launched by the Election Commission across 12 states, including poll-bound West Bengal, Banerjee alleged that the Centre and the poll body had created an “atmosphere of fear and harassment” among the poor and marginalised. “Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar have pushed the common man into a climate of panic. Can they themselves produce the documents they are demanding from citizens?” he asked.
The TMC general secretary, who is also the nephew of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accused the BJP of weaponising the voter list revision to “intimidate and disenfranchise” sections of Bengal’s electorate ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
The BJP, however, rejected the charges, insisting that the death should not be politicised before a proper investigation. “Let the police establish the cause of death. Trinamool is trying to gain sympathy by spreading misinformation,” BJP state President Samik Bhattacharya said.
The Election Commission has so far maintained that the SIR exercise is being conducted in accordance with standard procedures, with the objective of ensuring “accurate and transparent” electoral rolls ahead of upcoming elections.
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