- Mamata Banerjee threatened to bring lakhs to Delhi over the SIR voter roll issue in West Bengal
- Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari dismissed her Delhi visit as political drama
- Election officials urged respect for the law and warned against taking the law into their own hands
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has brought the SIR battle to the national capital. After meeting the top three Election Commission officials today, she gave an open threat: "I can get lakhs of people to Delhi to parade before the Election Commission."
Sources said the Bengal chief minister kept making false allegations and even "beat her hand on the table" despite the top three Election Commission officials showing restraint and being polite to her.
Bengal BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari called the chief minister's Delhi visit "dramabazi (an act)".
With all major parties including the ruling BJP at the Centre campaigning hard for the Bengal assembly election, Banerjee has been raising allegations against the Election Commission of misusing the voter roll clean-up exercise special intensive revision (SIR) to exclude genuine voters.
To make her case, she asked the EC why it did not conduct the SIR exercise in BJP-ruled Assam, which has historically seen tension and conflict over the issue of illegal immigration and demographic change. She alleged Bengal and Kerala have been unfairly targeted by the poll body, which she described as "BJP's agent".
"I have never seen an Election Commission like this, one that is so arrogant. They are great liars. We told them that we respect the chair because no chair is permanent for anybody. You, too, will have to go someday. But don't create such a precedent. And why is Bengal being targeted again and again?" Banerjee told reporters after meeting the Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, and the two Election Commissioners, Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
'Abusive, Threatening Language'
Banerjee and some Trinamool Congress leaders went to the poll body's office in Delhi wearing black shawls as a mark of protest. They also brought some people who Team Mamata claimed were families affected by the SIR exercise.
In his response, the chief election commissioner calmly explained to Banerjee the rule of law and why nobody should take the law in their hands, sources said. Any such move would be dealt with strictly as per the provisions of law and powers given by the Commission, they said.
The Trinamool MLAs who accompanied the Bengal chief minister used abusive and threatening language against the poll body and the chief election commissioner, sources said.
The Election Commission officials told Team Mamata that Trinamool workers and MLAs have vandalised the poll body's offices and structures in Bengal several times. They reminded Banerjee there should be no pressure, obstruction or interference of any kind on officials engaged in the SIR exercise.
BJP Slams Mamata Banerjee
Suvendu Adhikari alleged the chief minister is hatching a conspiracy against the voter rolls clean-up exercise with help of senior bureaucrats.
"Their hidden agenda is to ensure the election happens with the previous voter roll. It is being intentionally done, as part of their conspiracy," the BJP leader said.
The Bengal chief minister has written several letters to the CEC, raising concerns over the conduct of the SIR exercise. In her most recent letter to the CEC on January 31, she alleged the methodology and approach of the exercise went beyond the provisions of the Representation of the People Act and relevant rules, causing "immense inconvenience and agony" to citizens.
