Bengali Electors' Alleged Harassment Sparks Protests

Bangla Pokkho staged a protest against alleged harassment of Bengali voters. The group met with election officials, citing distress from rule changes and demanding action. Allegations include manipulation of voter lists and misuse of electoral forms, impacting notable figures and local communities.

On Wednesday, a significant protest erupted outside the office of the Chief Electoral Officer, led by the advocacy group Bangla Pokkho. The organization accused authorities of harassing legitimate Bengali voters and manipulating electoral lists.

Bangla Pokkho leaders subsequently met with Additional CEO Arindam Niyogi, highlighting concerns that, despite a Supreme Court decision, no implementing directive had been issued by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. They criticized frequent rule changes by the Election Commission of India, which allegedly place Bengalis under undue hardship.

Spokesperson Kaushik Maity addressed reporters, alleging that more than one crore Bengali voters received notices under the guise of discrepancies, causing distress across all societal strata. The protest underscored demands to halt harassment, misuse of voter forms, and attempts to unlawfully alter voter rolls.

(With inputs from agencies.)