Bengal finance minister: ‘BJP targeted minorities, mahilas through voter deletions, but it backfired’

* How significant is the SIR issue and how is the TMC countering the challenges arising from it?

The SIR is not an issue as such, we have profound faith in the judiciary. The people have witnessed our honourable leader, Mamata Banerjee, fighting against this. Regarding this specific constituency (Dum Dum Uttar), whenever I go out to speak to the people, I remind them that this is the first instance where the judiciary has had to interfere in such a manner. We hold great hope in the legal process. We are already seeing names being released from the tribunals; the judiciary is actively intervening.

For those whose names are still being deleted, they will have the opportunity to approach the courts and other legal avenues. Initially, there was no infrastructure for the tribunals, but it was the Supreme Court that clarified a crucial point: even if a name is missing from the voter list, that does not mean a citizen’s right to vote evaporates. They will be listed eventually. We believe the judiciary will remain vigilant. It is undeniable that many people could not reclaim their rights in time for this election, and that is squarely because of the Election Commission (EC). There is no doubt about it.

* Do you believe the deletion of names from voter lists—especially those from the minority community—would adversely impact your party’s prospects?

No, not at all. You see, while they (BJP) intended to target minorities and mahilas through these deletions, their plan backfired. In their attempt to purge certain demographics, they also ended up deleting the names of Hindus. This has created a situation where even those who were originally their voters have now turned against them due to harassment.

* The TMC has been in power for 15 years. It is natural for anti-incumbency to set in. Does that worry you?

No, there is no anti-incumbency here because our leader is Mamata Banerjee. She is the only one who truly fights for the people. We don’t even call our government the Trinamool Congress government; it is the Ma Mati Manush government. Ma represents the love and affection of a mother. Mati represents the soil, the scent of which is felt by those who wear hawai chappals. And Manush represents the people we are dedicated to. We keep our promises, and the people know that.

* As a woman minister in a government led by a woman CM, what do you make of the BJP’s push for the Women’s Reservation Bill?

They (BJP-led Centre) had already passed the Women’s Reservation Bill, and the Honourable President had signed it, but they deliberately did not notify it. They passed it in September 2023 because the Lok Sabha elections were in 2024. They are trying to fool women, but they must realise that women cannot be fooled so easily.

Of five states facing elections currently, three were already done; only Bengal and Tamil Nadu remained. Bengal is their (BJP’s) primary target. They did all of this just to mislead women of Bengal. We supported the Women’s Reservation Bill, but what they brought this time had nothing to do with it.

* How are you addressing this specific issue on the ground?

Our party already has 37.8% representation for women in the Lok Sabha and 46% in the Rajya Sabha. We achieved that without needing a reservation bill. When Mamata Banerjee came to power in 2011, the first amendment she brought was to the Panchayat Act. She ensured that in Bengal panchayats, women’s reservation will not be below 50%. If you go to North Bengal today, there are six zilla parishads, and all of them are headed by mahilas.

* What is your take on the RG Kar incident and its political fallout?

The RG Kar incident was a tragedy. It was an incident that should never have happened, and we feel deep sadness even talking about it. However, it is not a political “problem” for us in the way some suggest. The case was given to the CBI, but our police were already investigating it thoroughly. The CBI has found nothing extra beyond what our own investigation uncovered. This proves our administration was doing the right thing from the start.

* What is your prediction of the poll results?

I am not an astrologer. About 45,000 voters have been deleted from my constituency, 5-6% of people from my constituency belong to minority communities, so the deletions won’t impact us in the way the Opposition hopes. Look at my history: I won the Dum Dum Uttar seat in 2011 by 19,026 votes; however I lost the constituency in 2016. After that, I won a by-election in Dakshin Kanthi in 2017. Then in 2021, I won this seat again by 28,499 votes. Even with these deletions, my winning margin will be higher than the previous year. The TMC will form the government with a full mandate.