BJP Condemns INDIA Bloc's Stance on Electoral Integrity
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday launched a sharp attack on governing parties in West Bengal and Jharkhand, accusing the INDIA alliance of becoming the biggest obstacle to ensuring free and fair elections. BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi specifically targeted comments made by functionaries from these parties who criticized the special intensive review of electoral rolls.
Mamata Banerjee's Controversial Past Remarks Resurface
In a strategic move, Trivedi revisited historical parliamentary records from 2005 when West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, then an opposition leader, passionately raised concerns about suspected infiltrators from Bangladesh. The BJP spokesperson highlighted that Banerjee mentioned infiltrators 14 times within 22 minutes during her Lok Sabha speech and even threw a file toward the Speaker when discussion wasn't permitted.
Trivedi contrasted this historical position with her current opposition to the Special Intensive Review (SIR), questioning the reason behind her apparent complete reversal on the subject of voter citizenship verification.
Infiltration Concerns and Political Allegations
The BJP leader emphasized that under the Modi government, infiltration had significantly reduced, whereas during previous administrations, an Assam governor had stated that over 5,000 people were illegally crossing into India daily. He referenced reports suggesting suspected infiltrators in West Bengal were crossing back to Bangladesh to avoid authorities.
Trivedi didn't mince words when targeting Trinamool Congress and Congress, stating he understood why individuals with questionable citizenship status might feel apprehensive, but couldn't comprehend why these political parties were fearful. He suggested this anxiety stems from their dependence on votes from infiltrators.
Threats Against Election Officials
The BJP spokesperson brought attention to concerning statements from opposition leaders. He mentioned that Jharkhand minister and Congress leader Irfan Ansari had allegedly encouraged people to lock up booth-level officers if they attempted to delete names from voter lists without proper documentation. Additionally, he cited a TMC functionary who reportedly threatened a Booth Level Officer.
Trivedi concluded by referencing former Union minister Sriprakash Jaiswal's 2004 parliamentary statement that over 2 crore Bangladeshis were staying illegally in India, suggesting these parties support a conspiracy to gain power through infiltrators and disrupt constitutional processes.
