WB BLO protest: High drama at CEO office; BJP leaders meet poll officials
Kolkata(PTI): A section of BLOs, engaged in the SIR process in West Bengal, held a massive protest outside the CEO's office here on Monday over alleged excessive workload during the ongoing enumeration exercise, prompting the authorities to increase police deployment at the demonstration site.
What began as a routine sit-in by the BLO Adhikar Raksha Committee became a massive protest as senior BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari and party MLAs came to meet Election Commission officials in the afternoon, with the demonstrators raising anti-BJP slogans and trying to breach barricades erected by the police.
The narrow stretch outside the CEO's office in central Kolkata erupted with slogans -- "go back" from BLO members, "shame" from BJP supporters -- leading to chaos at the entrance. Police personnel formed chains to prevent the two groups from converging around the gate.
BLO group members shouted that they must be allowed inside to submit their memorandum, accusing the authorities of "avoiding" them for days.
Their cries drew immediate counter-slogans from BJP supporters, forcing security personnel to widen the cordon and repeatedly appeal for calm.
At one point, a barricade wobbled under pressure as protesters leaned in, prompting officers to rush forward and steady it amid noise and confusion.
The agitation spilled into the adjoining lane, where placards, flags, and rising voices pierced through the December afternoon.
Protesting BLOs are seeking a two-month extension for the SIR deadline and compensation for families of deceased BLOs, citing heavy workload concerns.
Inside, however, Adhikari's meeting with CEO Manoj Agarwal and senior officials proceeded.
Once out, the Leader of Opposition told reporters that the BJP had submitted "data concerning 17,111 booths" and demanded strict monitoring of post-December 14 hearings.
"No hearing should take place without live CCTV monitoring from the Commission's control room," he said.
His memorandum also pressed for the removal of "superannuated IAS officers" deployed in the SIR exercise, exclusion of EROs who are not of SDO rank, and deletion of names of what he described as "Bangladeshi Muslims" from electoral rolls.
Adhikari claimed the agitation outside was "scripted by the TMC" as part of a larger bid to undermine the SIR process.
"The protests reflect the ruling party's plan to stall the exercise and safeguard its vote bank of infiltrators," he alleged.
As he exited the office, protesters shouted "chor chor," prompting Adhikari to respond with counter-slogans, including "chor chor dur hatao, Dakat Rani dur hatao."
The TMC hit back, accusing the BJP of "manufacturing conspiracy theories" while ignoring the stress under which BLOs are working.
Senior TMC spokesperson Arup Chakraborty said the Election Commission's "unplanned haste" had created a situation where BLOs were being pushed beyond endurance.
"Four BLOs have already died, two by suicide, one in unnatural circumstances. This is not politics; it is a humanitarian collapse," he said. "The BJP's attempt to communalise the SIR exercise by invoking 'Bangladeshi Muslims' is irresponsible and dangerous."
Chakraborty said, "If the EC can write to the police about barricading and security breaches, it must also explain why BLOs are dying in the line of duty. Their protest is not a script; it is desperation."
Monday's upheaval came in the shadow of back-to-back confrontations over the past week that has turned the CEO office into a recurring flashpoint.
On November 24, BLOs protesting "excessive work pressure" attempted to enter the CEO office after marching from College Square with locks and fetters symbolising their demand to "shut down" the SIR exercise until workloads were rationalised.
A 10-member delegation comprising four BLOs and six government employees was eventually allowed inside, but an allegation by one member of receiving a threat message triggered an impromptu sit-in within the building, prompting police deployment deep into the night.
Two days later, on November 26, the Election Commission wrote to Kolkata Police Commissioner Manoj Kumar Verma describing the protest inside the CEO office as a "serious security breach" and sought an action taken report within 48 hours.
The EC letter stated that "existing security arrangements appeared inadequate" to prevent a recurrence, following which the premises saw upgraded access control and reinforced barricades visible again in Monday's confrontation.
A second directive followed on November 28, when the EC wrote to West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar directing him to ensure the safety of BLOs and field officials amid reports that some were being threatened during door-to-door enumeration.
The repeated tensions have unfolded against the backdrop of four BLO deaths since the enumeration phase began on November 4.
Two were suicides and one an unnatural death, prompting Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to accuse the Commission of imposing the SIR exercise in "express haste" and with "no planning". "These tragedies stain the conscience of the Commission," she said last week.
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.
'Warm and engaging atmosphere reigned', Shashi Tharoor on Putin banquet
New Delhi (PTI): Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, who on Friday attended a banquet for Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Rashtrapati Bhawan, on Saturday described the atmosphere there as "warm" and "engaging", and said he enjoyed his conversations with many of the attendees.
Tharoo’s remarks came a day after President Droupadi Murmu hosted a banquet for the visiting Russian president at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here.
“Attended the @rashtrapatibhvn banquet for President Putin last night. A warm and engaging atmosphere reigned. Enjoyed my conversations with many of the attendees, especially my dining companions from the Russian delegation!" Tharoor said in a social media post.
Murmu, while welcoming President Putin and his delegation at the banquet, had said that his visit marked an important milestone -- the 25th anniversary of the India-Russia strategic partnership, which was established in October 2000 during his first visit to the country as president.
Murmu also appreciated Putin's support and personal commitment to the India-Russia special and privileged strategic partnership.
The Congress on Friday said that the leaders of the opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, were not invited to the banquet, and took a swipe at Tharoor for accepting the invite.
The party’s media and publicity department head, Pawan Khera, accused the government of breaking protocols daily and not believing in democratic principles.
“There is no invite to both the LoPs, Mr (Mallikarjun) Kharge and Mr (Rahul) Gandhi. This comes as a surprise, but I don't think we should be surprised. This government is known to be breaching all protocols. What else to say, ask the government,” Khera said on Friday.
Asked about Tharoor accepting the invite for the banquet, Khera said, "Ask Mr Tharoor. All of us who are in the party, if our leaders don't get invited and we get invited, we need to question our own conscience and listen to our conscience. Politics has been played in inviting or not inviting people, which in itself is questionable, and those who accept such an invite are also questionable."
“We would have listened to our voice of conscience,” he added.
Earlier, Tharoor had said that there was a time when the chairman of the external affairs committee was routinely invited, but that practice seems to have stopped some years ago.
On Thursday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi alleged that the government tells visiting foreign dignitaries not to meet the leader of opposition due to its "insecurity".
His remarks came hours ahead of Putin's two-day visit to India.
