Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee fired at the Election Commission on Tuesday and labelled the poll body a ‘Tughlaqi Commission’, alleging it was targeting the eastern state to please the BJP. Her remarks come amid ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in the poll-bound state and the debate over rigorous work pressure in connection with it. “The EC has become a ‘Tughlaqi Commission’ run by a political party,” she said at a press briefing, adding, “Bengal is targeted by Election Commission to satisfy BJP.”
The Trinamool boss’s ‘Tughlaqi’ term was in reference to Delhi sultan Muhammad bin Tughlaq, who was whimsical.
She also promised to protect government officers who have been penalised by the Election Commission. “If Bengal government officers are penalised by the EC, we will 100 per cent protect them,” the Trinamool Congress chief said at a press briefing.
The poll body suspended seven assistant electoral registration officers (AEROs) in Bengal, with immediate effect, citing serious misconduct, dereliction of duty and misuse of statutory powers in connection with the SIR. These officers were state government employees working on deputation for the Election Commission to update the voters’ lists and aid in conducting the forthcoming elections.
Labelling the poll body a ‘Tughlaqi Commission’, Banerjee said it is targeting the eastern state to please the BJP, alleging
Mamata Banerjee alleged massive manipulation of voters’ lists, saying a woman functionary in the BJP IT cell removed as many as 58 lakh voters’ names with the use of AI. She also slammed the poll body for treating the citizens of the state “like terrorists”.
“Citing logical discrepancies, it is snatching away democratic rights and treating ordinary people like terrorists. Bengal is being targeted to satisfy the BJP,” the Bengal Chief Minister said.
Her remarks come days after her heroics at the Supreme Court, wherein she argued her own case, alleging over 160 SIR deaths in Bengal due to anxiety and work pressure. During the February 4 hearing, the Bengal Chief Minister – who became the first sitting head of state to be both the petitioner and lawyer – called the Election Commission “WhatsApp Commission” and claimed the poll body played a micro-observer.
