SIR turned farce: Abhishek urges voters to ‘deliver’ through ballot
The Statesman | 17 April 2026
With political temperatures rising ahead of the Assembly elections, Trinamul Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday intensified his attack on the BJP and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, alleging large-scale voter disenfranchisement and urging people to respond decisively through the ballot.
Addressing a public meeting in Cooch Behar on Tuesday, Banerjee claimed that the SIR exercise had been “reduced to a farce” and was being used to selectively delete names from the electoral rolls. Seeking to reassure those allegedly affected, he said, “Those who are anxious after losing their voting rights should not lose hope. We promise that once the Trinamul Congress forms the government again, names of genuine voters will be restored within a month.”
Launching a direct attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee remarked, “He may appear to be a very powerful leader, but his arrogance can be shattered in five seconds ~ just press the EVM button on 23 April.”
He further alleged that Central agencies, including the Election Commission of India, CBI, ED and Central forces, even Union ministers were being deployed to “capture Bengal” and defeat Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. “They have all come to fight one woman, but behind her stand 10 crore people of Bengal. People’s power is greater than their authority,” he asserted.
Raising concerns over alleged voter deletions among Rajbangshi, Scheduled Caste, and tribal communities, Banerjee said many have been deprived of their voting rights. “We have approached the courts and have faith in the judiciary. But if justice is denied, the responsibility of ensuring justice will lie with the people’s hand in this election,” he said.
Referring to the 2021 Assembly polls, Banerjee claimed that despite an earlier margin of 60 lakh votes, even if “27 lakh votes are excluded,” the Trinamul Congress would register an even bigger victory this time.
He also took an indirect swipe at former Union minister Nisith Pramanik over past remarks referring to a village (allegedly branded it mini Bangladesh) in Cooch Behar, urging people to give a political response through the ballot.
Setting an ambitious target, Banerjee asked party workers to ensure victory in all nine Assembly seats in Cooch Behar and called for a decisive win for candidate Abhijit De Bhowmik with a margin of at least 25,000 votes.
Accusing the BJP of arrogance, Banerjee concluded, “They think themselves bigger than God. But we do not bow down to power—we stand firm with the people.”