West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to the streets of Kolkata on Tuesday (November 3) and led a massive rally against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral voter list. He was joined by thousands of Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers and supporters, including nephew and party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

Mamata Banerjee termed the campaign as “silent, invisible rigging” by the BJP-led central government and the Election Commission, saying the process was against democracy and an attempt to weaken the rights of voters.

The approximately 3.8 kilometer long rally was organized by Dr. B.R. Starting from Ambedkar statue on Red Road, Zora Sanko went to Thakurbari, the ancestral residence of Rabindranath Tagore. Throughout the route, party workers were seen waving flags, raising slogans and holding posters raising slogans against the SIR process.

Mamata Banerjee remained at the forefront of the march in her traditional white cotton saree and slippers. He greeted people on the way and also interacted with the citizens who expressed their support. Abhishek Banerjee followed him along with senior ministers and party leaders.

Opposition leader Shuvendu Adhikari described the rally as a “Jamaat gathering” and alleged that it was “against the spirit of the Indian Constitution”. Meanwhile, state BJP president Samik Bhattacharya said, “If Mamata ji has any objection, she should approach the Supreme Court. There is anarchy and complete lack of law and order in the state.” He also alleged that Mamata Banerjee is “calling Rohingyas into the state” and asked “does the public want such people to be added to the voter list?”

SIR i.e. Special Intensive Revision is the process of intensive physical scrutiny of voter lists by the Election Commission. In this, booth-level officers work to remove names of duplicate, dead, migrated or illegal voters. The last time such a comprehensive review took place two decades ago.

However, opposition parties allege that the process is being used selectively to remove names of voters from poor and marginalized communities. The controversy had increased after more than 68 lakh names were removed in the first phase of SIR in Bihar. The case reached the Supreme Court, which allowed the process to continue with some modifications.

Now that the second phase of SIR has started in 12 states and union territories, Trinamool Congress in West Bengal has taken to the streets and issued a direct challenge.

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