West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting to replicate Bihar’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) strategy in the state to sway voters or manipulate election outcomes.

Speaking at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs’ Day rally, Banerjee firmly stated that she would not permit any SIR-like initiative to take place in Bengal. 

“BJP planning to conduct SIR-like exercise in Bengal, will never allow it,” she said. 

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Bihar Election

The Election Commission had announced the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar on June 24, ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. As of Thursday, the poll body reported that 94.68 percent of voters in the state had been covered under the SIR, which is scheduled to conclude on July 25. Opposition parties have expressed concerns over the exercise, warning that it may be extended to other states as well.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, speaking at the Trinamool Congress (TMC) Martyrs’ Day rally, alleged that the BJP and the Election Commission were “conspiring against Bengal.” She claimed that the aim was to remove Bengalis from the voter list and vowed not to allow a Bihar-style SIR exercise in the state. 

BJP Reaction 

The Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari, responding to CM Mamata Banerjee's statement, said that the Constitution and the Election Commission are supreme, and their directives must be followed.

On CM Mamata Banerjee's statement, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said, "In the country's constitution, the Election Commission is supreme; whatever the Election Commission does will happen. Rohingya Muslims, Bangladeshi Muslim infiltrators will not be in the voter list. Mamata Banerjee is a 'chor', his nephew is a 'chor'. The entire family is 'chor'."

BJP leader Nisith Pramanik also stated that Mamata Banerjee must accept the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), and said that if the Election Commission enforces a rule, it is the constitutional duty of the state government to comply.

BJP leader Nisith Pramanik said, "In West Bengal, the 450-kilometre-long India-Bangladesh border is still unfenced. In 2014, there were 16 lakh Rohingyas in Bangladesh's detention camps, but today there are not more than 2 lakh. This means that these 14 lakh Rohingya have crossed into India through the unfenced India-Bangladesh border. Mamata Banerjee must accept Special Intensive Revision (SIR). If the Election Commission implements any rule, the state government must follow it. This is constitutional."

BJP IT Cell chief Amit Malviya also criticised Banerjee’s remarks and questioned her motives behind the protests. Taking to social media, he alleged that she was “openly threatening to gherao the Election Commission” if it proceeds with the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter roll in West Bengal. Malviya further claimed that the state has around 17 lakh duplicate voters, nearly three times the number found in Bihar.

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Mamata Banerjee Request TMC Workers For Protest 

Mamata Banerjee has accused the BJP and the Election Commission of conspiring against the state and attempting to remove Bengalis from the voter list. She urged Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers to hold protest rallies every weekend starting after July 27, condemning what she called the BJP’s ongoing “attacks on Bengalis.”


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