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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Attacks on Christians contradict PM's message of harmony, visit to church: Gehlot
Jaipur (PTI): Former Rajasthan chief minister Ashok Gehlot on Thursday expressed concern over the reported attacks and disruptions in prayer gatherings of the Christian community in different parts of the country, saying such incidents were "worrying and condemnable".
In a post on X, Gehlot said that while the Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting a church and giving a message of peace and harmony, news of attacks on members of the Christian community from various regions reflected a serious contradiction.
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"Symbolic gestures would not be enough, and strict legal action was required against those spreading hatred," the senior Congress leader said.
He added that Indian culture has always upheld the spirit of "Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam", where every citizen has full freedom to practise their faith.
Gehlot urged the Centre and state governments to uphold the rule of law and ensure that no citizen is forced to celebrate their festival under fear.
