Mamata Banerjee calls SIR a backdoor attempt to implement NRC

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has alleged that through the special intensive revision (SIR) exercise of the Election Commission, a veiled attempt is being made to disenfranchise genuine voters and implement the National Register of Citizens through the backdoor. "Through the Special Intensive Revision exercise, a veiled attempt is being made to disenfranchise genuine voters and implement NRC through the backdoor. We will not tolerate this. We will resist every injustice. And we will stand by the people, now and always," Banerjee said in a post on X.

The BJP has demanded an SIR of electoral rolls in the State, alleging nearly one crore Rohingya immigrants, Bangladeshi Muslim voters, deceased voters, duplicate entries, and fake voters in the rolls. "There are nearly one crore Rohingya immigrants, Bangladeshi Muslim voters, deceased voters, duplicate entries, and fake voters in West Bengal. The Election Commission of India should remove these names to ensure the credibility of the voter list," the leader of Opposition in the State Assembly and BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari said on Saturday.

The Opposition INDIA bloc parties are critical of the SIR, arguing that the exercise would disenfranchise large sections of society, especially from the vulunarable communities. The Parliament has seen continuous disruptions, with the Opposition members protesting over the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar.

On Tuesday, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh blamed the Centre for the deadlock in Parliament over the opposition's demand for a debate on SIR in poll-bound Bihar. "It is the responsibility of the Government to run the House. We extend our cooperation. But the responsibility for consensus doesn't fall on the Opposition; it is the responsibility of the ruling side, the government...Call the leaders of all parties and talk to them. Our demand is clear. We have given the Speaker in writing that the discussion should be held and the House should be run. We, too want to pass the Bills...We had been saying from day 1 that we want a discussion on two issues - Operation Sindoor and SIR, vote theft and the election process. Why are they running away from this issue (SIR)? Why are they not conducting a discussion on this?," he asked while talking to ANI. (ANI)

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