Alleged irregularities in voter registration: Mamata says she won’t suspend officials, calls EC ‘bonded labourer’ of BJP

“The state government employees are being intimidated. The officers were served suspension notices yesterday. Have the elections even been announced yet? Which law allows them to be suspended at this stage? It is our responsibility to protect you all. We will do that. We will not suspend them,” the chief minister said at a public meeting in Jhargram.

“They have started suspending people even though a long time is left before the elections. They (ECI) are the bonded labour of the BJP. They are doing the dalali (tout work) of (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah and the BJP. The home minister thinks whatever he says will happen,” Mamata charged.

On Tuesday, the EC ordered suspension and registration of an FIR against two West Bengal Civil Service officers serving as Electoral Registration Officers, two Assistant Electoral Registration Officers from Baruipur Purba and Moyna Assembly constituencies, and a data entry operator.

The EC’s investigation was prompted by a report from the West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer, highlighting alleged irregularities. Following the report, the ECI wrote to the state’s Chief Secretary, directing immediate action.

The chief minister also hit out at the EC and the Union Home Minister Shah over the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which was recently conducted in poll-bound Bihar. Alleging that it was a backdoor way of implementing the NRC (National Register of Citizens) in the country, she challenged Shah to produce the birth certificates of his parents. “They (ECI) are asking for the birth certificates of people’s parents. Where will they get those from? I want to ask today. Amit Shah, do you have your parents’ birth certificates? Show that first. Then talk about removing people’s names from the voters’ list. When BJP leaders come here, we will hit the streets and protest,” the TMC supremo said.

Calling the citizenship notices issued to two West Bengal residents by the BJP government in Assam, “unconstitutional and illegal”, the CM said: “Notices are being served to members of the Tapashili and Rajbanshi communities from Assam… We strongly condemn this. This is a veiled attempt to implement NRC. Shame on the BJP.”

“People are committing suicide out of fear of the NRC. Who will take responsibility for this? Tribals, minorities, and Tapashilis are facing persecution across the country. If they try to snatch away the rights of the people, they’ll have to go over our bodies,” the chief minister asserted, urging people not to respond to the notices.

“This conspiracy of implementing the NRC through the back door will not be tolerated. We will not give up an inch of land without a fight. How dare they serve NRC notices to people here? Do not respond to those notices. Live here in Bengal peacefully,” the chief minister said.