In a bold statement, Bengal Minister and Kolkata Mayor Firhad Hakim expressed concerns about a potential conspiracy involving the BJP and the Election Commission (EC) linking the forthcoming Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voter rolls in the state with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). Hakim warned that if the BJP and EC attempt to enforce the CAA simultaneously, he would take strong action. He highlighted the CAA camps organized by the BJP in Bengal and mentioned that more such camps are being planned leading up to the upcoming assembly elections.
The SIR process, previously executed in Bihar, has sparked significant controversy as approximately 66 lakh names were removed from the state’s electoral rolls before the upcoming assembly polls. Opposition parties criticized the move, alleging it was designed to disenfranchise marginalized communities. However, the EC dismissed these claims, clarifying that the exclusions targeted individuals who had migrated, held duplicate voter IDs, or were deceased.
During an all-party meeting led by Bengal’s Chief Electoral Officer, tensions escalated as party representatives clashed with the electoral official regarding voter identification procedures and new enumeration forms. Firhad Hakim, representing the ruling Trinamool Congress, strongly objected to what he perceived as an effort to exclude legitimate voters from the lists. He emphasized that any removal of genuine voters would be met with opposition from his party.
Hakim, echoing Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s sentiments, likened the poll roll revision to a “backdoor NRC” and referenced a man’s suicide, attributing it to the controversial exercise. This incident, involving the death of Pradeep Kar, became a contentious issue between the Trinamool and BJP, with both sides politicizing the tragedy.
Accusing the BJP of spreading fear, Hakim asserted that as long as Mamata Banerjee remained in power, the NRC would not be implemented in Bengal. In contrast, Bengal CEO Manoj Agarwal reassured the public, stating that no legitimate voter would be excluded from the lists, ensuring a completely fair and transparent process.