Mamata Banerjee Leads TMC Protest Against Electoral Roll Revision

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee led a significant protest in Kolkata on Tuesday against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, which her party, the Trinamool Congress (TMC), has termed a form of 'silent invisible rigging' orchestrated by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission.

The TMC has alleged that the anxiety surrounding the SIR has resulted in the deaths of seven individuals in the state. Abhishek Banerjee, a senior TMC leader, stated at the rally, 'Seven people ended their lives in seven days in Bengal due to fear of SIR.' He urged the public to prepare for protests in the capital, New Delhi, in response to the situation.

During the rally, which commenced with a procession stretching 3.8 kilometres from the statue of B.R. Ambedkar on Red Road to Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore, Mamata Banerjee addressed the crowd, criticising the Election Commission for its handling of the revision. She stated, 'The Election Commission must reveal how many Rohingyas and Bangladeshis have been found in Bihar after the SIR.'

Banerjee expressed her concern that any eligible voter removed from the electoral rolls in Bengal could lead to the downfall of the BJP government, claiming that the party is falsely labelling Bengali migrants as Bangladeshis.

The TMC's protest highlights a growing tension between the party and the BJP, especially as West Bengal prepares for the 2026 Assembly elections. The SIR, which is the first large-scale revision of electoral rolls in the state since 2002, has become a contentious political issue. While the BJP promotes the SIR as a measure to enhance transparency, the TMC accuses the Election Commission of being influenced by the central government to manipulate the voter list in favour of the BJP.

Political analysts view this conflict as indicative of a larger struggle between administrative authority and grassroots organisation, with both parties gearing up for the upcoming elections. The BJP sees the revision as an opportunity for what it describes as a 'cleansing' of the voter rolls in West Bengal, while the TMC is mobilising its supporters to resist these changes.

The rally was marked by a vibrant display of TMC flags and slogans, with thousands of supporters lining the streets. Mamata Banerjee, dressed in her characteristic white cotton saree, engaged with onlookers, while Abhishek Banerjee rallied the crowd with calls for action against perceived injustices.

As the situation develops, the implications of the SIR and the associated political tensions will likely shape the landscape of West Bengal's electoral politics in the coming years. The TMC's commitment to mobilising its base suggests a strategic response to the perceived challenges posed by the BJP and the Election Commission's actions.