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Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Sunday intensified his attack on the Election Commission of India, alleging that genuine, living voters were being officially declared “dead” in draft electoral rolls. After raising the issue earlier in Baruipur, Abhishek took the controversy to Cooch Behar, where he dramatically presented 10 local residents on stage to underline what he called a shocking assault on democracy.
Speaking at the party’s ‘Ran Sankalp Sabha’ in Cooch Behar, Abhishek said the individuals standing beside him were all lifelong residents of the district. “They were born on this soil, grew up here, and contributed to this land in every possible way,” he said. “Yet the BJP-controlled Election Commission, under Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, has declared them dead.”
According to Abhishek, the names of these 10 people were removed from the voter list on the grounds that they no longer existed. “They have been told they have no identity, no right to vote, as if they are no longer alive,” he said, calling the situation both absurd and dangerous for democracy.
Clash With the Election Commission
Abhishek claimed he had directly confronted Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar with specific questions regarding voter list deletions. “He could not answer a single one,” the TMC leader alleged. He also took strong exception to what he described as the tone adopted by election officials.
“He pointed fingers at us while speaking. I told him—lower your finger before talking to me,” Abhishek said. “You are nominated. I am elected. We are not here because BJP leaders showed us kindness. People voted for us, and we are accountable to them.”
BJP Targeted Ahead of Elections
With elections approaching, Abhishek Banerjee has been touring districts across West Bengal, sharpening his attack on the BJP while projecting the Trinamool Congress as the defender of Bengal’s interests. From the Cooch Behar stage, he once again accused the Centre of systematically depriving Bengal of its rightful share of resources.
He drew a sharp comparison between the BJP-led central government and the Trinamool Congress administration in the state. “What Modi and the BJP promised, Mamata Banerjee’s government delivered,” he said. “They spoke. We acted.”
Big Promises on Housing and Development
Abhishek also made significant commitments on development, particularly housing. He reminded the crowd that 12 lakh genuine beneficiaries whose names were on the Awas Plus list received homes last year under the state government’s initiative.
“Very soon, another 16 lakh people will be given houses,” he announced. “A large portion of them will be from Cooch Behar.” He added that within the next two months alone, around 1.5 lakh residents of the district would receive homes.
Breaking it down further, Abhishek said this would mean approximately 16,000 to 17,000 families in each Assembly constituency getting permanent roofs over their heads. “This is the promise of the Ma-Mati-Manush government. Our Chief Minister has given her word,” he said.
‘Bengal Will Not Be Silenced’
Ending his speech on a defiant note, Abhishek reiterated that Bengal would not accept what he termed manipulation of voter lists or political intimidation. “You cannot win Bengal by erasing people’s names or denying their existence,” he said. “Democracy belongs to the people, and we will fight to protect it.”
As the political battle heats up, Abhishek Banerjee’s allegations are likely to fuel further debate over voter list transparency and the role of constitutional bodies in the run-up to the polls.
