Kolkata erupted in political colour on Monday as West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a massive protest march against the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, accusing the Election Commission and the Centre of attempting “silent, invisible rigging.” The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief alleged that the process was being used to delete names of genuine voters, particularly migrant and unorganised-sector workers.
The rally, which began at the Ambedkar statue on Red Road and concluded near Jorasanko Thakurbari, saw large crowds of TMC supporters holding placards and chanting slogans against the BJP and the Election Commission. Addressing the gathering, Banerjee declared, “Many unorganised sector workers are worried their names will be removed. Talking in Bangla does not mean being Bangladeshi — just as speaking Hindi or Punjabi does not mean Pakistani.”
She alleged that the SIR exercise was an attempt to disenfranchise poor and marginalised citizens in Bengal, calling it a “conspiracy to manipulate the voter list.” The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of targeting Bengali-speaking people by branding them as outsiders, saying, “We will not allow the Centre to erase the voices of Bengal.”
The BJP, however, reacted sharply, branding Banerjee’s protest as a communal mobilisation. BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari described it as a “rally of Jamaat,” claiming it went against the ethos of the Constitution. Party spokesperson Amit Malviya said, “The voter population in Bengal has risen 67% since 2001 while the overall population has grown only 31%. This needs scrutiny, not opposition.” He alleged that the TMC was shielding “illegal Bangladeshis” under the guise of defending Bengali identity.
The Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision, being conducted nationwide after nearly two decades, involves on-ground verification to remove duplicate, deceased, and ineligible voters. Opposition parties, however, have accused the process of being politically selective, pointing to previous cases — such as Bihar — where over 68 lakh names were reportedly deleted.
Political observers see Banerjee’s march as both a show of strength and a pre-emptive strike ahead of upcoming elections. With both sides exchanging fierce accusations, the controversy over the electoral roll revision has added another flashpoint to Bengal’s already charged political landscape, signalling that the battle over ballots may well begin long before the next vote is cast.
