CM slams EC for SIR ‘rush’ amid calamity
Times of India | 10 October 2025She also accused the commission of threatening Bengal govt officials.
"Right after the Pujas, NRC notices have again started coming from Assam. In Nadia, two of our citizens have received such notices. This raises the question why was the festival period chosen to conduct SIR? At a time when Bengal is facing natural calamities — with Kali Puja, Chhath Puja and Jagaddhatri Puja round the corner — and many areas submerged under floodwaters, how can officers be summoned and threatened? Four officers reportedly called BLROs and threatened them to prepare documents as per their instructions," Banerjee said.
Without naming Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal, the CM alleged: "There are several complaints against the CEO of Bengal himself, which I will reveal at the right time. But I hope he does not overreact. He has been threatening many officers."
Speaking to reporters at Nabanna, Banerjee said the "SIR process itself is a fraud". "It does not involve the public. Instead, a few officers are called for meetings and threatened while the state govt is completely excluded from these discussions," she said.
Referring to junior Union minister Shantanu Thakur's "threat" that 1.5 crore people would be struck off the rolls, the CM said: "Under the guise of SIR, there is an attempt to delete genuine voters. How can Assam govt send notifications to voters in Bengal? Moreover, even before SIR, how can a Union minister declare that 1.5 crore voters will be removed? Does that mean plans are being made in party offices and Election Commission is merely stamping its approval? Above all, the pillars of democracy are the Constitution and the common people, and no one has the right to snatch away a citizen's right to vote."
"If your minister is saying even before the process has started that 1.5 crore voters will be removed, either remove that minister or admit that this is a conspiracy," Banerjee said.
"I have heard that the (Union) home minister, during a party meeting, mentioned voter deletions. Who gave him that right? This is not SIR, this is a backdoor NRC. We strongly condemn the BJP govt and central agencies working under its instructions, who are politicising and saffronising everything, from education to festivals.
If genuine voters are removed, people of Bengal will respond in a way no other state can," she said.
Attacking the Centre, Banerjee added: "Beyond doing politics, manipulating elections, tampering with data and looting votes, they have done nothing for people's development. When citizens are in distress they refuse to help; but when elections come, they bring out sacks of money. How can a proper voters' list be prepared in just 15 days? It's simply impossible."
