Mamata Banerjee Denounces Voter Roll Controversy Amid Citizenship Amendments

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee condemned alleged manipulations surrounding the electoral roll revision in Matua areas, asserting the exercise could unjustly disenfranchise voters declared as foreigners under CAA. She criticized BJP for misleading citizenship certifications and addressed panic-related deaths urging calm. Banerjee reaffirmed the right to govern based on genuine voter lists.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday criticized the Election Commission over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, claiming voters in Matua-majority areas face immediate delisting if declared foreigners under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

In a rally accompanied by a three-kilometer march to Thakurnagar, Banerjee pledged to confront the BJP nationally if her leadership in Bengal was contested. She emphasized the value of human lives, urging residents not to resort to drastic measures under SIR-induced fear, linking the revision process to 35-36 panic-related fatalities, including suicides.

The Chief Minister accused BJP-affiliated groups in the Matua region of distributing misleading certifications branding applicants as Bangladeshi, contrasting these with neutral documents from the Ramakrishna Mission. She linked the rushed electoral roll revision to the upcoming 2026 assembly elections, accusing the poll body of becoming a 'BJP Commission' and employing AI for potential manipulation.

Banerjee also identified discrepancies in SIR protocols, alleging coercion and harassment of booth-level officers (BLOs), with some hospitalized amid threats. Despite obstacles, including a canceled helicopter landing, Banerjee remained defiant against perceived BJP tactics and questioned the rationale for SIR in BJP-ruled states if targeting illegal residents. She charged the Centre with fund withholding and TMC systematic scrutiny, pledging her solidarity to the Matua community, who largely align with TMC despite BJP's CAA focus.

(With inputs from agencies.)