Kolkata, Nov 26 (PTI) West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday alleged the special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls was aimed at implementing the NRC “through the backdoor”, and creating fear among the ordinary people.
Speaking to reporters after garlanding the statue of BR Ambedkar at the Red Road on the occasion of Constitution Day, Banerjee alleged that the fundamental rights were under threat.
“I am observing with sorrow that people’s voting rights are being taken away, their religious rights are being taken away. Attacks are being made using vile language, and no one is being spared, not even Dalits, minorities or the common Hindu voters,” she said, with the Constitution in her hand.
“NRC is the real intent behind this. We are shocked and saddened. This is why I take the pledge here today to protect India’s democracy,” she added.
Banerjee alleged that people who have “nurtured the soil of this country for years” were now being asked to prove their right to live in India.
“In the name of citizenship rights, an atmosphere of intense fear has been created,” she added.
In a post on X earlier in the day, she said that when democracy is at stake, secularism is in an “endangered situation”, and federalism is “being bulldozed”, people must protect the valuable guidance that the Constitution provides.
Banerjee said the Constitution is the backbone of the nation, masterfully weaving together the diversity of India’s cultures, languages, and communities.
“Today, on this Constitution Day, I pay my deepest respect and tribute to the great Constitution that we have, to the great document that binds us in India. I also pay my tribute today to the visionary framers of our Constitution, especially Dr B.R. Ambedkar, its principal architect,” she said.
“On this sacred day, we reaffirm our commitment to the core democratic values enshrined in our Constitution and commit to vigilantly safeguarding the sacred principles that define and sustain us as a nation,” she said.
Interacting with reporters, the CM claimed that people of the state were distressed by the SIR exercise.
“People are crying uncontrollably. Unless you witness that heart-rending grief and their desperate cries, you cannot understand. Those who are doing politics over this are a shame to the country. I condemn them,” she said.
“In the recent Bihar election, they went door to door offering Rs 10,000 before the polls, and then after the votes were cast, they looted everything. People’s houses have been demolished in Bihar. We have to unite against this,” she added.
The CM questioned the role of the Election Commission, alleging that fear and pressure have been created in the name of SIR, leading to the deaths of several BLOs, not just in West Bengal but across India.
On the demonstration by the BLOs outside the CEO’s office, Banerjee said, “BLOs are perishing under work pressure not just in Bengal but also in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu. I think that the demands of these officers are just and legitimate. Why did they have to sit for 48 hours to get an audience with the CEO? Is there no value in their time?” Maintaining that BLOs are facing server issues that are stopping them from uploading voters’ data in a timely manner, Banerjee reiterated the need to plan the SIR exercise for a period of three years instead of the current two-month deadline.
“After waiting outside for two days, they first called one representative inside. Upon police request, they later called two more. Why is this a show of arrogance? Do people have the right to register their complaints or not?” she asked.
Constitution Day or Samvidhan Divas is observed on November 26 to commemorate the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1949. The Government of India declared November 26 as Constitution Day in 2015. PTI SCH SOM
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