Jhargram (West Bengal) [India], August 6 : West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee slammed the BJP over their demand to carry out Special Intensive Revision (SIR) activity in West Bengal and alleged that the Election Commission of India (ECI) was acting as an agent of the Union Home Minister. She said that she would continue to raise her voice if genuine voters were removed from the voter list.
CM Mamata Banerjee held a protest march in Jhargram on Wednesday, alleging harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states.
Mamata Banerjee said, "If genuine voters are removed from the voter list, then I will protest in the entire world. Malpua (BJP leader Amit Malviya) is demanding my arrest. Even if you come to arrest me or shoot me, I will keep protesting against the insult of the Bengali language."
"There is an NRC conspiracy behind the ongoing SIR activity. In Assam, nearly seven lakh people have been removed from the voter list, which includes Hindu Bengalis. Notices are being sent in Cooch Behar and Alipurduar and Indian residents are being sent to Bangladesh. Not a single name should be excluded from the voter's list. Our two officers received notice from ECI regarding their suspension. There is no need to fear. Eight to nine months are left for the polls, but the BJP has started to suspend people from now itself. ECI is acting as the agent of the BJP," she said.
She hit out at Union Home Minister Amit Shah and alleged that he felt that whatever he would say is going happen.
"They have not got single majority. With the help of ECI if you feel that you will remove names of people from the voter's list. We all took birth in home. From where will we bring the birth certificate? They say that those who are 41 or 42 years old also have to bring the birth certificates of their parents. Where is the birth certificate of the Home Minister? Show me the birth certificate of your parents. The day before yesterday, they said that they would do SIR. The country and Bengal we know in that all religions are equal," she said.
She further said that the BJP has created detention camps in Assam, Rajasthan, Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh.
"We have brought back many people. BJP's double engine government cannot handle the country. In fear of the NRC, people are dying by suicide. When you go to Dubai, you hug the Sheikh, and when you come to Bengal, you say to remove the Muslims. If you try to snatch rights of any people, or create a row over language then we will stand in the way," she added.
Earlier, Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar called for a special intensive revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, similar to the one currently underway in Bihar.