Electoral Roll Exclusion Spurs Arambagh Residents to Plea for Death

Six residents of Arambagh in West Bengal appealed to President Droupadi Murmu for death, post the removal of their names from the electoral rolls. This plea highlights the distress following the Special Intensive Revision exercise. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticized the ruling party, affirming no detainment in Bengal.

In a dramatic appeal, six residents from Arambagh, a town in West Bengal's Hooghly district, petitioned President Droupadi Murmu for the right to die after their removal from the electoral rolls. The residents, including a former headmistress, submitted their application through a senior poll official who is also the SDO of Arambagh.

The plea was made after the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, where 206 names were reportedly struck off from Ward No. 6 of Arambagh Municipality. Among the residents is Taibunnesa Begum, a retired headmistress, who claims her name was deleted despite having valid identification documents.

Amid fears of being sent to detention camps due to their exclusion, the group, backed by local councillor Swapan Nandi, would rather face death. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has criticized the BJP for the SIR process, asserting no detention camps in West Bengal. The state's assembly elections are scheduled for late April.

(With inputs from agencies.)