Won’t allow BJP to snatch voting rights, will fight till end: Mamata
Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP-led Centre of attempting to “snatch away the voting rights” of people through the ongoing revision of electoral rolls ahead of the assembly polls.
Addressing thousands of worshippers after Eid prayers at Kolkata’s Red Road, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo alleged that the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls — which the ruling party claims has led to large-scale deletions of voter names — was part of a broader attempt to influence the electoral process in the state.
“We will not allow Modi ji and the BJP to take away your voting rights. We will fight till the end to protect democracy and the rights of every citizen,” Banerjee said at the gathering.
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Her remarks come amid an intensifying political row over the electoral roll scrutiny exercise, which the TMC has repeatedly described as an attempt to remove names of genuine voters, particularly from minority-dominated areas, ahead of the assembly polls.
Banerjee warned that any move to disenfranchise voters in the name of revision or verification of electoral rolls would be resisted by her party.
“Those who are targeting Bengal and trying to divide people should go to hell,” she said, drawing loud cheers from the gathering.
The chief minister also invoked Bengal’s long tradition of communal harmony, saying the state would not allow forces trying to polarise society to succeed.
“Bengal believes in unity. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians — everyone lives together here. We will not allow anyone to break this social fabric,” she said.
The annual Eid congregation at Red Road — one of the largest in eastern India — has often doubled as a political platform during election years, offering parties an opportunity to reach out to the state’s sizeable Muslim electorate, which constitutes around 30 per cent of the population.
This year’s event carries added political significance as the state heads towards a high-stakes assembly election, with the TMC seeking a fourth consecutive term while the BJP attempts to consolidate the gains it made in the 2019 Lok Sabha and 2021 assembly elections.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
