Doubling down her attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday claimed that whole exercise was pushed as part of “Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s trick” to create panic, and added that had her government blocked it, the Centre would have imposed President’s Rule in the state.
Addressing a rally against the SIR in Berhampore in Murshidabad district, the TMC supremo said the state was “not foolish enough to walk into the trap”, urging people not to fear the enumeration exercise but to simply file their documents.
“Don’t be afraid of SIR. If we hadn’t allowed it, they would have imposed President’s Rule. Do you understand Amit Shah’s trick? We will fight, we will win. They cannot starve us; they cannot take our property,” she said.
A day ago, she had accused Shah of “orchestrating” SIR to unsettle voters and “capture Bengal by trickery”, saying the hurried revision had triggered panic and “dug the BJP’s own grave”.
“The BJP is indulging in religious politics over SIR. More than half of those who died in SIR-related incidents were Hindus. Don’t cut the very branch you are sitting on,” she said.
The TMC supremo also reiterated that she would never allow NRC or detention camps to come up in West Bengal. “I will not allow NRC or detention camps in Bengal. Even if they slit my throat, no one will be driven out,” she declared to loud applause.
“If anyone is removed, we will bring them back legally. Bengal will remain safe and inclusive,” she said.
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Turning to the Waqf controversy swirling within the ruling party, Banerjee accused “certain groups” of spreading misinformation that land records were being listed as religious sites as mosques or graveyards.
“We have passed a resolution in the Assembly that Waqf properties cannot be taken forcefully. Mutawallis (custodians of Waqf property) will upload the documents and give them to the state. There is nothing to fear,” she said. Her comments came amid renewed heat after the state government instructed district magistrates to upload Waqf data to the Centre’s UMID portal by the December 5 deadline, a move critics say signals a climbdown from her earlier opposition to the amended Waqf Act.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
