Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday, accusing it of a deliberate conspiracy to defame West Bengal by branding it a hub for infiltrators. The Diamond Harbour MP demanded a public apology from BJP leaders for insulting the people of the state.
Conspiracy to Defame Bengal Exposed, Says Banerjee
Addressing reporters in Kolkata, Abhishek Banerjee stated that the BJP's narrative of West Bengal being a "breeding ground for infiltrators" had completely collapsed under the weight of facts. He pointed to the Election Commission's draft voter list, which was released on Tuesday, as the key evidence that shattered the BJP's sensational claims.
"The Election Commission's draft voter list released on Tuesday shattered BJP's sensational claims of 1 to 1.5 crore Rohingya deletions, exposing a deliberate attempt to defame Bengal and polarize communities for electoral gains," the TMC leader asserted.
Voter List Data Debunks BJP's Claims
Banerjee provided a detailed breakdown of the voter list revisions to counter the BJP's allegations. He explained that a routine deletion of 1.5% to 2% of names occurs during every annual revision process. The recent list identified approximately 24 lakh names of deceased individuals, which amounts to a standard 2% of the electorate.
"The motive with which BJP tried to conduct SIR (Special Summary Revision) in Bengal has completely failed," he declared. He emphasized that the data proved there was no abnormal or mass deletion of voters as alleged by the BJP.
Direct Challenge to BJP and Amit Shah
In a direct and forceful challenge, Abhishek Banerjee posed a question to the BJP leadership. "Will those who insulted 10 crore Bengalis have the courage to apologize publicly?" he demanded. He insisted that those who labeled Bengal a haven for Bangladeshi infiltrators must come before the public and seek forgiveness.
Turning his focus to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Banerjee shifted the responsibility for border security onto the central government. "If infiltration is the issue, the person who must answer is Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who controls the borders and commands the central forces," he stated, implying that the onus of preventing illegal crossings lies with the BJP-led Centre.
The TMC leader's strong rebuttal marks a significant escalation in the political war of words over demography and voter integrity in West Bengal. By using official Election Commission data, Banerjee aims to neutralize a potent political issue ahead of future electoral battles and frame the BJP's rhetoric as a malicious attempt to tarnish the state's image for political polarization.
