EC has become a BJP agent to implement NRC: Mamata Banerjee | Kolkata News
KOLKATA/BOLPUR: Election Commission had become a “BJP agent to implement NRC”, CM Mamata Banerjee alleged at the ‘Bhasha Andolan’ rally in Bolpur on Monday, and dared the poll body to delete any genuine Bengal voter from the electoral roll. At an administrative meeting, the CM also reminded booth level officers (BLOs) that they were state govt employees and “should not unnecessarily harass people”.“Try deleting names here,” Banerjee challenged the poll panel. “From chhau to dhol to dhamsa to shankha, sob bajiye debo. Damama bajiye debo,” she said, sounding a battle call.The CM said she would not let anyone set up detention camps or implement NRC in Bengal as long as she lived. “I will have the power of the people with me, I will not need any weapons. Is the country their (BJP’s) zamindari? The only zamindars are common people,” she said.Taking on EC, Banerjee said: “I respect the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and will humbly pay tribute to him with flowers like marigold, hibiscus and tuberose. I hope you stay well. But you have become an agent of govt to implement NRC.”“You are saying they (BLOs) will go to a house once, they may or may not visit four times, it can even be on a single day. They may even choose not to go; then the name will be deleted… You were the principal secretary in the cooperative department of a central govt and you are now consulting the double-engine govt to remove names so that your friend, the double-engine govt, can win.”Questioning the special intensive revision (SIR), the CM said, “Even EPIC, Aadhaar and land deeds will not be enough to keep your name on the list. For every voter of Bengal, four from Gujarat will get included. I even know which agency is doing this (on behalf of BJP). They are asking for fresh documents, including the birth certificate of parents. Do you have them yourself?”“Suppose a man goes on a trip for four days after staying for years in Bengal, will you remove his name? Is that possible?” she added.Advising district magistrates to “keep their eyes and ears open”, the CM said: “District magistrates should be more vigilant. Often, I see them delegating responsibilities to subordinates. They took 1,000 people to Delhi for training. The district magistrates should have informed me or the chief secretary, but they did not.”At an administrative meeting earlier in the day, Banerjee appealed to BLOs to not harass people. “I request BLOs to ensure that no one’s name is omitted from the voter list. EC takes charge after the election dates are announced. Before and after that, the administrative responsibility lies with state govt. You work for state govt. Do not harass people unnecessarily,” she said.
