'Will not allow exclusion of Bangladeshis': West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee against SIR

NEW DELHI: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee threatened to disrupt the Special Intensive Revision if the aim is to eliminate Bangladeshis from the voters' list. Mamata, who demanded no hasty changes in the voter list before the 2026 assembly elections, challenged the BJP to fight her politically rather than seeking alternate routes. She was speaking at an anti-SIR rally in Bankura in the North 24 Parganas district.

MAMATA BANERJEE:

“I love Bangladesh as a country because we share the same language. Even though I am from Birbhum, one day the BJP will label me as Bangladeshi for political brownies. I will not allow anyone to be expelled from the voters' list. Border security, passport and customs are departments under central agencies. Yet how did Bangladeshis infiltrate India? If Bangladeshis are the problem, then why are SIRs being conducted in Madhya Pradesh and UP? Why are SIRs being conducted in a hurry? If it were a process that took two or three years, we would support it. The Election Commission is now a BJP Commission.

BJP's game will become clear when the draft voter list gets published after the SIR. The opposition did not understand this game in Bihar. The Trinamool Congress will not allow the game here. The BJP is giving citizenship to Bangladeshi Hindus by paying them money. They will all be in trouble in the future. BJP is creating fake voters’ ID with the help of AI”