TMC to launch anti-SIR campaign; Kolkata rally in Nov likely to be addressed by Mamata, Abhishek
Kolkata (PTI): The ruling Trinamool Congress in West Bengal is planning a mega rally in Kolkata next month to oppose the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, party sources said on Friday.
The rally, likely to be held in the first or second week of November, is expected to be addressed by TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the party's national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee, the sources said.
"A massive rally is being planned in Kolkata after the festive season, once Kali Puja and Bhai Dooj are over. The venue is likely to be Shahid Minar ground, but if it's unavailable due to prior bookings, we may shift it to the second week of November," a senior TMC leader told PTI.
The move marks the beginning of the party's full-fledged agitation against what Banerjee has repeatedly termed as a "BJP-backed ploy to bring NRC through the backdoor" under the guise of the SIR exercise.
The TMC's offensive comes amidst preparations by the Election Commission (EC) to begin the proposed Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
In September, an EC team led by Deputy Election Commissioner Gyanesh Bharti visited the state to review readiness and conduct training for district election officers.
The ruling party has also questioned how senior BJP leaders, including Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur, could "predict" the number of voters whose names would allegedly be deleted, even before the poll panel issued a formal notification for the exercise.
"Before any notification has come out, how come BJP leaders are claiming that lakhs of names will be removed? Are they writing the script of the SIR from Delhi?" asked another TMC functionary.
TMC leaders have declared that the party will make this issue one of its main political planks in the coming months, accusing the BJP of trying to manipulate the voter list ahead of the state elections.
Several ministers and legislators have warned that "West Bengal will be on the boil" if the name of even a single genuine voter is deleted during the revision process.
The BJP, however, hit back, saying the TMC's opposition stems from fear that the exercise will expose "fake voters and infiltrators" allegedly enrolled under the ruling party's watch.
"The chief minister is opposing a routine electoral rolls revision because she wants to protect Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators who have found a place in the voter list," said a state BJP spokesperson Keya Ghosh.
With the political temperature in Bengal rising fast, the TMC's proposed November rally is expected to set the tone for an intense pre-election confrontation between the state's ruling party and the BJP-led Centre.
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Punjab: Four-year-old boy rescued after falling into borewell in Hoshiarpur
Hoshiarpur (Punjab) (PTI): A four-year-old boy who fell into a newly dug borewell while playing near his home in Punjab's Hoshiarpur district was rescued safely after an intense, nine-hour operation involving multiple rescue agencies and local volunteers, officials said.
The incident occurred on Friday night at Chak Samana village, located near Bhikhowal along the Hoshiarpur-Dasuya road.
The boy, identified as Gurkaran Singh, was trapped inside the borewell at a depth of around 20 to 30 feet, officials said.
Rescue teams pulled him out around 12.40 am and immediately shifted him to a hospital for medical examination and treatment.
Upon being rescued, an NDRF (National Disaster Response Force) personnel carried him in his arms. Though the boy's face was covered in soil, he appeared stable.
The child's family and villagers hugged the NDRF personnel and other rescuers profusely, thanking them for their efforts in the entire rescue operation.
Deputy Commandant NDRF Pankaj Sharma told PTI Videos that the child's condition was stable. He noted that the rescue operation was challenging because of the loose soil that kept collapsing. "Our rescuers put in a commendable effort throughout the entire rescue operation," he stated.
Officials said the operation was a collaborative effort involving teams from the NDRF, the State Disaster Response Force (SDRF), Punjab Police, district administration officials, fire brigade personnel, and local volunteers.
Punjab minister Ravjot Singh and AAP MP Raj Kumar Chabbewal remained present at the site throughout the rescue operation and monitored the efforts.
Deputy Commissioner Aashika Jain said the administration swung into action immediately after receiving information about the incident around 4 pm.
She said the child had slipped into an open borewell adjoining the family's house.
According to officials, the borewell had recently been made operational, and the work to fill gravel and soil around it was still pending.
Jain said rescue teams initially lowered a camera and oxygen pipe into the borewell to monitor the child's condition and ensure oxygen supply.
"The child's movements were visible in the footage initially, which helped rescuers assess the situation," she said.
Officials said loose soil later fell inside the borewell, making camera monitoring difficult and adding to the complexity of the operation.
The deputy commissioner said rescuers dug a parallel pit up to a depth of around 25 to 30 feet before creating a narrow tunnel to reach the child safely.
Officials said that heavy machinery, including earth-moving equipment, was arranged by the administration and local villagers.
They described the soil as sandy in nature, which posed a challenge as it repeatedly collapsed. Care was taken to use the machinery cautiously, ensuring that the soil would not fall on the child and jeopardise his safety.
Jain said more than 40 NDRF personnel participated in the rescue effort.
She thanked the NDRF, SDRF, Punjab Police, civil administration officials, medical teams, volunteers and locals for their coordinated efforts and commitment in ensuring the child's safe rescue.
Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Kumar Malik commended the rescue teams, stating that their dedication and teamwork were vital in saving the child's life.
Earlier during the operation, the administration had also called the child's mother to the site and asked her to speak to him so that he could hear a familiar voice and remain calm.
Oxygen was supplied to him through a pipe into the borewell.
Minister Ravjot Singh said medical and emergency teams had remained on standby throughout the operation to provide immediate treatment to the child after rescue.
MP Chabbewal described it as a highly sensitive and challenging rescue mission and said continuous efforts by all agencies helped make the operation successful.
Large numbers of locals had gathered near the site as rescue teams continued operations through the night.
