October 9, 2025
Under the guise of SIR, there is an attempt to delete genuine voters : Mamata Banerjee
Today, Hon’ble Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a press conference at Nabanna. Here are some excerpts from her address:
Right after the Puja, NRC notices have again started coming from Assam. In Nadia, two of our citizens from Bengal have already received such notices. This raises the question — why has the festival period been chosen to conduct the SIR? At a time when Bengal is facing natural calamities, with Kali Puja, Chhath Puja, and Jagaddhatri Puja around the corner, and many areas submerged under floodwater — how can officers be summoned and threatened? Four officers have reportedly called BLROs and threatened them to prepare documents as per their instructions.
They were able to conduct it in Bihar because Bihar has a BJP/NDA government, and the agencies there helped in it. But Bengal’s community composition is completely different. Here, besides Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, and Christians, there are also SCs, STs, and other minority communities. NRC notices have already been sent to Rajbongshis, minority groups, and migrant workers.
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 Government is completely excluded from these discussions.
There are several complaints against the CEO of West Bengal himself, which I will reveal at the right time. But I hope he does not overreact. He has been threatening many officers.
Under the guise of SIR, there is an attempt to delete genuine voters. How can the Assam government send notifications to voters in Bengal? Moreover, before the SIR even began, how could a Union Minister declare that 1.5 crore voters will be removed? Does that mean plans are being made in party offices, and the Election Commission is merely stamping approval? We expect impartiality from the Election Commission. Both the government and the opposition together form the fabric of democracy. 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.
During this festive season, many people are engaged in celebrations or have gone on holidays. Others are suffering due to floods. If in this situation the SIR is started and voters’ names are deleted, especially if it targets any particular community, whether Rajbongshi, Nepali, or anyone else, that will never be acceptable.
I have heard that the Home Minister, during a party meeting, mentioned voter deletions. But who gave him that right? Democracy cannot function by excluding people. This is not SIR, this is a backdoor NRC. We strongly condemn the BJP government and Central agencies working under its instructions, who are politicizing and saffronising everything — from education to festivals. There is even a ‘Mir Jafar’ sitting in Delhi. They think they can control everything, but if they continue this way, the truth will come out the cat will be out of the bag. If genuine voters are removed, the people of Bengal will respond in a way no other state can.
If your minister is saying even before the process begins that 1.5 crore voters will be removed, then either remove that minister or admit this is a conspiracy.
Beyond doing politics, manipulating elections, tampering with data, and looting votes, they have done nothing for the people’s development. When citizens are in distress, they refuse to help; but when elections come, they bring out sacks of money. They send the country’s wealth abroad and return wearing gold medals, while the poor in India remain hungry.
They only destroy. Their destructive attitude is precisely why they can never win. How can a proper voter list be prepared in just 15 days? It’s simply impossible.
