New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused certain political parties of attempting to “protect infiltrators” by obstructing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, a day after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the exercise as “chaotic, coercive and dangerous.”
Shah, in a post on X in Hindi, said, “Stopping infiltration in India is essential not only for the country’s security but also to safeguard the integrity of our democratic system. Unfortunately, some parties are opposing the voter list purification process to shield infiltrators.” He did not name any party specifically.
Banerjee, in a strongly worded letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, alleged that the SIR process in poll-bound West Bengal was being conducted in an “unplanned and dangerous” manner. She cited inadequate preparation, gaps in training, confusion over mandatory documents, and the near-impossibility for booth-level officers (BLOs) — many of whom are teachers and frontline workers — to complete door-to-door surveys effectively.
“The absence of clear planning and technical readiness has pushed the process into disarray,” Banerjee warned. She highlighted server failures, repeated data mismatches, and the extreme pressure on BLOs, who, under fear of punitive action, might make “incorrect or incomplete entries,” risking disenfranchisement and undermining the credibility of the electoral rolls.
The Chief Minister urged the Election Commission to halt coercive measures, provide proper training, and reassess the methodology and timelines. She warned that failure to address these issues promptly could have “irreversible consequences” for voters, officials, and the system itself.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed Banerjee’s concerns, accusing her of trying to derail a lawful process. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar said, “No amount of theatrics or falsehoods can stall the SIR. If the Chief Minister is uncomfortable with a lawful exercise that exposes her politics of infiltration, she should clarify her stand publicly or step down.”
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