KOLKATA — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed apprehension on Tuesday that chaos could occur in the state after the publication of draft voters’ list on December 9 at the end of the first of the three-stage Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
“After the draft list is published, there will be terrible chaos. I can realise this now. Because of the internet problem, the booth-level officers (BLOs) are having a tough time uploading the enumeration forms on the BLO App. Often, there are errors in uploading forms. What I heard is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used in the SIR exercise. This is being done to replace the genuine voters with false voters,” the Chief Minister said, while addressing a mega ‘anti-SIR’ rally in Bangaon in North 24 Parganas district.
However, she assured that the state government will help people in all possible ways to provide documents to get their names retained in the voters’ list.
“We do not dishonour our own promises. Our politics is meant for the welfare of the people. So do not worry. You will be safe as long as Trinamool Congress is there,” the Chief Minister said.
Without directly naming, Chief Minister Banerjee also accused the BJP Lok Sabha member from Bangaon constituency and the Union Minister of State, Shantanu Thakur, of neglecting the people from the Matua community, who are in large numbers at Bangaon, in this crisis moment, and going abroad during that period.
“After some paid money for the form, someone had gone abroad. Why he (Union Minister of State Shantanu Thakur) had gone abroad is a mystery? Probably, he had gone abroad to keep himself safe. But we have all the necessary records against him. If necessary, we will raise the demand for his arrest,” the Chief Minister said.
Bangaon was chosen as the venue of the ‘anti-SIR’ rally on Tuesday, considering the large number of people from the Matua community in the city.
Trinamool Congress had already started campaigning that the SIR would result in the deletion of the names of people from the Matua community.
Matuas are a Hindu population from the Backward Class coming as refugees from the neighbouring Bangladesh and settling in different districts of West Bengal, which have international borders with neighbouring nations.
The Matuas are mainly located in the Nadia and North 24 Parganas districts. –IANS
