West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday, December 3, 2025, announced a significant financial assistance package for families affected by what she termed as panic surrounding the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR). The announcement was made from the state secretariat, Nabanna, in Kolkata.
Financial Aid for Victims of SIR-Related Distress
The Chief Minister declared that the state government would provide Rs 2 lakh each to the families of 39 individuals who have reportedly died due to stress and panic linked to the SIR process. She stated that these deaths included cases of suicide. Among the deceased were four Booth Level Officers (BLOs).
Furthermore, Banerjee announced that 13 other people, including three BLOs, who fell critically ill during the enumeration duties would receive Rs 1 lakh each as assistance. She emphasized that the families of the four BLOs who succumbed to "SIR work pressure" had already been given the Rs 2 lakh compensation.
"We will not let people be traumatised or intimidated. The state will support every affected family," the Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo asserted during her media briefing.
Sharp Attack on the BJP-Led Central Government
Launching a fierce political offensive, Mamata Banerjee drew a parallel between the current BJP-led government at the Centre and the former British rulers of India. She accused the Centre of "weaponising" the electoral roll revision process and issuing forceful directives to state officers.
"I want to tell the Centre: do not behave like the British. Don't give forceful instructions to our officers like the Britishers. If you want to give any instructions, send them to the state government directly," she said. Banerjee reiterated her government's commitment to co-operative federalism.
Reiteration of Secular Stance and Opposition to Detention Centres
Without directly naming the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) or the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Chief Minister took a clear stand against divisive policies. She firmly stated that her government would not establish any detention centres in West Bengal.
"I do not practise communal politics. I practise secular politics. For me, all religions are the same," Banerjee declared. She added, "I follow the Constitution… I don't want to put people in trouble." She positioned her administration as one that protects all communities equally and resists attempts to unsettle the social fabric.
BJP's Swift Retort and Counter-Allegations
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly responded to the Chief Minister's remarks, dismissing her claims as falsehoods. Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, accused Banerjee of trying to divert attention from the alleged presence of "ghost voters" in the state's electoral rolls, which he claimed were protected by the TMC.
Adhikari defended the SIR process as an ECI-mandated, nationwide exercise and questioned why the CM was afraid of a transparent voter list cleanup. He called her comparison of the Centre to the British an "insult to the democratic structure."
The BJP leader also labeled Banerjee's claims of practising secular politics as "hypocrisy," alleging that the TMC has engaged in "appeasement politics" for over a decade for electoral gains.
The exchange marks a significant escalation in the ongoing political tussle between the ruling TMC in West Bengal and the BJP-led central government, centering on issues of federalism, electoral integrity, and secularism.
