A Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation on Friday met with the full bench of the Election Commission of India (ECI) in New Delhi and alleged that approximately 40 deaths had occurred in West Bengal linked to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls so far, accusing the poll panel chief of having "blood on his hands."
The 10-member delegation, led by TMC Rajya Sabha leader Derek O'Brien, met the EC officials amid the ongoing SIR in the state. The delegation consisted of Lok Sabha MPs Mahua Moitra, Satabdi Roy, Kalyan Banerjee, Pratima Mondal, and Sajda Ahmed, and Rajya Sabha MPs Dola Sen, Mamata Thakur, Saket Gokhale, and Prakash Chik Barik.
Following their meeting, O'Brien addressed reporters, stating that the party had raised five specific questions but claimed that Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar did not respond to any of them.
"We started the meeting by saying that the CEC has blood on his hands. We sought answers for five questions. After this, Kalyan Banerjee, Mahua Moitra, and Mamata Thakur spoke and shared whatever they had to in about 40 minutes," O'Brien said. "Then the CEC spoke uninterrupted for one hour. We were also not interrupted while we spoke, but we did not receive any answer to any of our five questions," he added.
Moitra claimed the delegation shared with the CEC a list of 40 individuals whose deaths, they alleged, were linked to the SIR exercise. The commission, however, dismissed this as mere allegations, the Lok Sabha MP claimed.
The TMC MPs raised several points, including:
Logic of SIR: They questioned the premise that the exercise would weed out non-voters and why the SIR was suddenly required when the last Lok Sabha election was conducted using the existing electoral roll.
Selective Application: They questioned why the exercise was not being undertaken in the Northeastern states, which also share borders with Bangladesh and Myanmar and face the risk of infiltration.
Responsibility for Deaths: They raised the issues of alleged deaths linked to the SIR process and questioned who would take responsibility.
Neutrality: They expressed worries about the neutrality and effectiveness of the SIR process and noted a recent amendment in the rules by the poll panel that allows for the appointment of external Booth Level Agents (BLAs).
BJP Claims: The TMC further informed the CEC that BJP leaders in West Bengal are claiming that one crore voters' names will be deleted. "The ECI has not taken any cognisance of these comments, nor have they negated the fear mongering by the BJP," a TMC leader said.
A party source indicated that they have compiled a list of 60 tragedies linked to the SIR—41 common people and 19 Booth Level Officers (BLOs). Of the common individuals, 35 have died, and six are receiving medical attention. Among the 19 BLOs affected, four have died, while 15 are hospitalised or receiving care.
The SIR is currently underway in 12 states and Union territories, including West Bengal.
Also read: 'Touch Bengal, I’ll shake nation’: Mamata to BJP over SIR row
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