Maynaguri (WB), March 25 -- West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday launched an intense broadside against the BJP, the Centre and the Election Commission, accusing them of undermining democracy and warning that the next step could be attempts to strip people of citizenship through the NRC. She made the remarks while launching her campaign for the upcoming West Bengal assembly polls from the politically crucial north Bengal -- a region that has emerged as a BJP stronghold since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Addressing a rally in the Maynaguri area of Jalpaiguri district, the TMC supremo alleged that constitutional institutions were being used to "snatch away people's voting rights" through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. "The EC, BJP and the Centre are not following the Constitution. They are trying to snatch away voting rights," Banerjee told the gathering in her first major campaign rally for the polls.
Drawing a sharp political contrast with the hour of India's Independence, the chief minister claimed the release of the supplementary electoral list had triggered "midnight rampage". "We got Independence at midnight, and we feel proud of it. But today, they have forgotten Independence. They are not following the Constitution or democracy. They are snatching away people's voting rights," she said. "Today, they are snatching away voting rights; tomorrow, they will snatch away citizenship by bringing the NRC. The chief minister alleged that several communities, including Rajbanshis and women, were being affected by the revision of electoral rolls. "Rajbanshi names have been removed through SIR. Women's names are also being removed. Removing the name of one woman means removing the name of the entire womenfolk," she said, seeking to mobilise women voters who form a crucial support base for the ruling party. In a dramatic escalation of rhetoric, Banerjee claimed that the electoral roll exercise had already caused distress among people. "Due to SIR, 220 people have died in Bengal since the exercise began in November. Their souls are crying today. BJP must remember, they will have to answer," she said.
Accusing the BJP of branding long-time residents as foreigners, Banerjee said, "After living on this soil for so long, you are calling us foreigners and asking us to prove our citizenship. First, you prove whether you are a citizen of this country, then challenge the people." Without naming Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Banerjee told the crowd to bid farewell to "this gentleman here and the two gentlemen in Delhi". North Bengal, particularly Jalpaiguri, Alipurduar and Cooch Behar, has been a key battleground between the TMC and the BJP since the saffron party's surge in the region in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, when it swept most seats there and built a formidable organisational base among communities such as the Rajbanshis. Against that backdrop, Banerjee sought to combine sharp political attacks with welfare messaging aimed at consolidating the TMC's core support groups. "If you want tea gardens to remain open, vote for Trinamool Congress," she said. The TMC supremo also highlighted schemes such as Lakshmir Bhandar, Swasthya Sathi, and free ration, presenting them as examples of the TMC government's welfare model. "We do not merely make promises- we implement them," she said.
Banerjee said the state government had also arranged crop insurance for potato farmers who suffered losses due to unseasonal rains in Jalpaiguri and neighbouring districts. The chief minister also criticised the BJP-led Centre over rising fuel prices and alleged restrictions on LPG cylinder bookings. "The price of petrol is rising. Now they say that after booking a gas cylinder, it may take 35 days. How will people cook?" she asked. Banerjee also asked her party candidates to take lawyers with them while filing nomination papers, alleging that nominations had been cancelled in BJP-ruled Assam. "I do not have faith in the BJP and the Election Commission. Our candidates should take lawyers with them and check every document carefully," she said. In a pitch aimed directly at women voters, Banerjee invoked the role of women in resisting political pressure. "Mothers and sisters should come forward if anyone tries to capture booths," she said. Taking a swipe at the BJP, Banerjee accused the party of trying to dictate food habits and language. "In some states, people are beaten for eating fish or meat. They even beat up people for speaking Bengali. We respect every religion, language and community," she said. Seeking to strike an emotive note with the voters, the chief minister asserted that the people of Bengal remain her biggest strength. "They have taken everything away from me. Now I have only one thing -- the people," she said. Elections for the 294-member Assembly in West Bengal will be held in two phases -- on April 23 and April 29. The results will be declared on May 4.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.