Mamata says will move court on Jan 6 against 'arbitrary' SIR, human sufferings
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday said she would move court against the EC's SIR of electoral rolls, alleging that fear, harassment and administrative arbitrariness linked to the exercise had led to deaths and hospitalisations, as she sharpened her confrontation with the poll body ahead of the state assembly polls.
Addressing a massive public gathering at Sagar Island in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee alleged that technology was being "weaponised" to disenfranchise voters ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls, claiming that artificial intelligence and informal digital platforms were being used to arbitrarily delete names from electoral rolls, undermining democratic safeguards.
"We are moving court tomorrow against the inhumane treatment and the death of so many people due to the SIR," she said, adding that she was prepared to escalate the legal battle if required. She, however, did not clarify whether the petition would be filed by her personally, the state government or her party, the TMC.
ALSO READ: Kumaraswamy alleges 'cover-up' of Ballari firing, seeks CBI probe
Banerjee said she would seek permission to appear before the Supreme Court not as a lawyer but as an ordinary citizen. "If necessary, I will go to the Supreme Court and plead for the people. I will speak for the people," she said, recalling that she is legally trained.
Alleging a "technological conspiracy" behind the SIR, the TMC supremo claimed that opaque digital processes had replaced due mechanism. "Artificial Intelligence has emerged now. Using images and voices, lies can be spread. Names are being removed using AI," she said.
"AI is deciding whose surname has changed, who got married, which girl has gone to her in-laws' house. Even a murderer gets a chance to defend himself. Here, people's names are being removed," Banerjee said, alleging that 5.4 million names had been dropped without adequate opportunity to respond through statutory forms.
In a sharp swipe, she alleged that the poll body was being "run on WhatsApp", warning that erosion of voting rights would have political consequences.
"If people's rights are taken away, you too will vanish, you Vanish Kumar," she said while referring to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, urging citizens to check their names on the draft rolls despite the hardship. "This is a struggle for survival and to protect rights," she added.
The escalation comes a day after Banerjee wrote to the CEC, urging an immediate halt to what she termed an "arbitrary and flawed" SIR, warning that its continuation could trigger "mass disenfranchisement" and "strike at the foundations of democracy".
In the letter, she accused the commission of an "unplanned, ill-prepared and ad hoc" exercise marked by "serious irregularities, procedural violations and administrative lapses", later describing the process as having been reduced to a "farce".
On the ground, Banerjee said, the hearings had extracted a human cost.
She alleged that people with plastered legs, those recently discharged from hospitals and the elderly were being compelled to attend hearings.
"In two months, nearly 70 people have died. Does no heart ache? If your 85-year-old mother were dragged into an ambulance, what answer would Delhi's leaders give?" she asked, questioning whether those ordering deletions had their own parents' certificates.
She questioned the haste of the exercise, arguing that voter list corrections should be spread over two years rather than forced through in months. "We want names to be included, not excluded. Why this coercion?" she said.
Framing the issue in a wider political and cultural context, Banerjee alleged intimidation of Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states and challenged what she described as majoritarian politics.
"I dare them to kill me, but I will not stop speaking my mother tongue, Bengali. Is it a crime now?" she asked.
She also accused the BJP of keeping a pattern of pre-election inducements followed by repression. "They will give Rs 10,000 before elections and use the bulldozer once it's over," she said. "You can torture as much as you want, it won't yield results."
The Election Commission and the BJP have rejected allegations of arbitrariness, maintaining that the SIR is a routine exercise aimed at ensuring clean and accurate electoral rolls.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
===================
The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
