Mamata argues in SC, alleges targeting of West Bengal in SIR exercise
New Delhi (PTI): In a rare move by a serving chief minister, Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday argued her petition in the Supreme Court against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls and alleged unfair targetting of West Bengal by the poll panel and bulldozing of its citizens.
Urging the top court to "save democracy" and intervene to ensure fair special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls by the Election Commission keeping in mind the fact that people alive have been declared dead by the poll panel.
She once referred to the poll panel as the "WhatsApp commission", in an apparent reference to the directions being allegedly passed by the EC to the electoral officials on WhatsApp.
Banerjee, who was represented by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Shyam Divan, sought the nod of a bench headed by Chief Justice Surya Kant to personally advance her submissions.
She said her state was not getting justice anywhere and despite having written six letters to the poll panel on SIR, she has not received any reply.
"Their SIR process is only for deletion, not for inclusion," she told the bench, also comprising justices Joymalya Bagchi and Vipul M Pancholi.
Asking why the same yardstick was not applied in Assam, Banerjee said, "West Bengal is being targeted."
"They are targeting West Bengal to bulldoze its people," said the chief minister, who was permitted by the bench to supplement submissions of her lawyer.
At the outset, Divan started his submissions and later, Mamata was seen standing besides him.
She then requested the bench to permit her to address the court.
"If you can allow me five minutes only," she asked.
The CJI responded by saying the court would give her not five but 15 minutes to advance her submissions.
She flagged difficulties being faced by the citizens due to the SIR exercise and said people were happy that the apex court gave a direction to include Aadhaar as one of the documents in the process.
Banerjee alleged that despite the apex court's direction, the poll panel was not allowing Aadhaar and seeking other documents from the voters for electoral roll revision.
"In other states, documents like domicile certificate, family register card etc. are allowed... they are only targetting Bengal on the eve of elections. What was the hurry," she asked.
She said the process, which usually takes two years, was being undertaken in a short span of three months even during festival and harvesting season in the state.
Banerjee also claimed that many people who are alive have been declared dead by the EC during the ongoing process.
She then flagged the issue of deaths of officials who are involved in the SIR exercise.
Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, appearing for the EC, countered the charges and alleged that the West Bengal government has provided the services of only 80 grade-two officers like SDMs for overseeing SIR process.
He said only low-ranked government employees like Anganwadi workers have been provided by the West Bengal government for the process.
Banerjee countered the EC's claim and said the state has provided whatever sought by the poll panel.
At the outset of her submissions, Banerjee quoted Rabindranath Tagore and said, "The problem is our lawyers always fought our case from the beginning but when everything is finished, we are not getting justice. When justice is behind doors. We are not getting justice anywhere."
"I am a bonded labourer sir... I am from a common family and I am not fighting for my party," she said.
When the counsel appearing for the EC interrupted, Banerjee, with folded hands, said. "Please allow me to speak sir!"
She flagged that married women were being put to notice for shifting to their in-laws house or using their husband's surname.
Banerjee claimed the poll panel has not complied with the top court's directions on logical discrepancy list.
When the EC's counsel objected to her submissions, CJI Kant interrupted saying, "Madam has come all the way to speak."
During the hearing, the bench observed that "genuine persons must remain on the electoral roll".
The CJI said every problem has a solution and it must be ensured that no innocent person is left out.
Concluding her submissions, Banerjee conveyed her regards to the bench for giving her the opportunity to argue and urged it to "save democracy".
The bench issued notices and sought replies by February 9 from the Election Commission and the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal on her petition.
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Centre ‘attempting to silence’ Rahul Gandhi: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Wednesday accused the central government of "attempting to silence" the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, saying it strikes at the heart of India’s democracy.
He was referring to Rahul Gandhi being disallowed from quoting an article that cited an unpublished memoir of former Army chief M M Naravane on the 2020 India-China conflict in the Lok Sabha.
"The Modi government’s repeated attempts to silence the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament are deeply troubling and strike at the heart of India’s democracy," Siddaramaiah said in a post on 'X'.
Stating that Rahul Gandhi raised legitimate questions on national security based on excerpts from 'Four Stars of Destiny', the book authored by Naravane, he said the book, originally slated for release in 2024, remains unpublished because it is "being withheld" by the Government of India.
"The excerpts were quoted in a recent article by The Caravan magazine. Importantly, General Naravane has not denied the contents attributed to him. On the contrary, he has publicly acknowledged that his book is awaiting government clearance," he said.
"If these statements were inaccurate or misleading, the government could have issued a clear denial. Its decision instead to withhold the book and silence discussion only deepens the suspicion that uncomfortable truths are being suppressed," Siddaramaiah added.
He said that the book indicates that during the critical phase of the 2020 China border standoff, the Modi government "failed" to take clear and decisive strategic calls, leaving the armed forces to manage a complex political crisis within broader constraints.
"This points not to any failure of the Army, but to a lack of strong political leadership at the highest level under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Defence Minister Rajnath Singh," he added.
"Such issues deserve serious discussion in Parliament. Rahul Gandhi did what a responsible Leader of the Opposition is duty-bound to do—ask questions on behalf of the people. He did not speak against the nation or the armed forces," Siddaramaiah said.
"Yet, instead of answering, the government stalled Parliament for two consecutive days, suspended eight opposition MPs, and, in an unprecedented act, prevented the Leader of the Opposition from speaking on the president’s address," he added.
The chief minister said that in any responsible democracy, "such grave revelations" would have led to accountability and serious political consequences at the highest level.
"Instead, this government has chosen suppression and intimidation," he alleged.
"If the Modi government has nothing to hide, why silence debate? And if India’s national interest was fully safeguarded, why fear scrutiny in Parliament?" he asked.
