TMC leader Kunal Ghosh alleges the BJP and ECI are causing voter harassment and deaths over the revised voter list in West Bengal. He claims CM Mamata Banerjee will hold a dharna to protest the alleged deletion of legitimate voters.
TMC Blames BJP, ECI for Voter Harassment and Deaths
All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Kunal Ghosh on Wednesday alleged that legitimate voters in West Bengal are being harassed and that Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are "suffering from deaths and heart attacks." While addressing the media, Ghosh said, "Again, there has been a death on SIR's list. This whole procession of death is going on. The Election Commission of India and the BJP are entirely responsible for this. On one hand, legal voters are being harassed, they are panicking, committing suicide, and having heart attacks. On the other hand, BLOs are also suffering from deaths and heart attacks. This whole harassment is going on. So, for this, we say again and again that what the Election Commission is doing under the BJP's instructions is not right."
He also stated that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had also raised questions about this in the Supreme Court, and now she is going to start a dharna. Ghosh also stated that the Election Commission functions under the BJP's instructions, calling the Election Commission and the party "entirely responsible" for the issue. "CM Mamata Banerjee herself has questioned this in the Supreme Court. And from Friday, Mamata will start a dharna in Esplanade, Dharmatala. The way the Election Commission is deleting legal voters on Election Commission of India and the BJP are entirely responsible for this. On one hand, legal voters are being harassed under the BJP's instructions, marking them as 'adjudicated', 'deleted', or 'dead' even when they are fine; this is the conspiracy against legal voters. The BJP said that numbers should be earned, so they are being deleted," Ghosh added.
Abhishek Banerjee Alleges 'Deaths Out of Panic'
Earlier, TMC MP and National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee alleged that two deaths were reported "out of panic" following the publication of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) list of voters in West Bengal. Raising serious concerns over discrepancies in the revised electoral roll, Banerjee said, "After the SIR list is out, 2 deaths reported today out of panic." Announcing a statewide outreach programme, Banerjee said, "For the next two months, our leaders will travel across SC and ST-dominated localities, engaging in meaningful conversations with our Dalit and Adivasi brothers and sisters."
Targeting the BJP, he added, "You know elections are around the corner when BJP vultures start hovering overhead, slithering to doorsteps, begging for votes with crocodile tears and empty pledges, only to betray, vanish without a trace, and leave shattered promises in their wake."
Mamata Banerjee to Stage Dharna on March 6
The remarks come a day after Banerjee announced that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will stage a dharna at Metro Channel, Esplanade, on March 6 from 2 PM against the alleged irregularities in the SIR process. Addressing a press conference on Sunday, he said, "Mamata Banerjee to stage a dharna in Kolkata on 6th March against the alleged discrepancies in the SIR list."
Election Commission's Stance on Voter List Revision
According to the Election Commission of India (ECI), over 5.46 lakh voters were deleted following the SIR exercise, bringing the total electorate to 7.04 crore. The Commission maintained that due process was followed and that over 60 lakh electors under adjudication were included in the final roll. (ANI)
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