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.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
