West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee after visiting the Chief Election Commissioner in New Delhi on Monday accused the ECI of targeting the people of her state and said she was “boycotting the meeting” as the Commission has “insulted us” and her party “didn’t get justice”.
She claimed that Bengal’s people were not being given a fair chance to defend themselves after many of their names were struck off the poll rolls during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
“Will the election commission choose the government before the election? We are watching,” she said after coming out of her meeting with the Election Commission. “We have boycotted the election commission. They have insulted us, humiliated us … this type of EC is very arrogant,” the chief minister told reporters, adding, “We didn’t get justice.”
Banerjee, who was accompanied by her party leaders and “SIR affected people” had approached the Election Commission of India over the SIR excercise underway in the state, which has seen 58 lakh names taken off from the draft rolls.
After the meeting, speaking to reporters she claimed that voters were “left out over small things like minor variations in the spelling of their names”. She told reporters that she had no great hopes from the Election Commission and accused it of being “lackeys of the ruling party.”
Banerjee also alleged “they (EC) are working under the directions of the ruling party … I can bring lakhs of people to Delhi and can parade them in fornt of anyone” to prove her point of how people have been left out of the electoral rolls “on small issues.”
Banerjee said she had ultimately “boycotted the meeting” as her delegation was not dealt with respect.”
We didn’t get justice,” she added.
The chief minister also said that her party had sent five letters to the ECI but did not get a reply to “a single one”.
Earlier in the day she had alleged that Delhi police had barricaded ‘Banga Bhavan’, the state guest house, where she was staying in Delhi.
However, the Delhi Police said all prescribed protocols were being strictly followed about the security arrangements for Banerjee and clarified that there was no breach of security or restriction imposed at Banga Bhavan.
Banerjee has been provided ‘Z-plus’ category security, police said.
The Delhi Police made comprehensive security arrangements at Chanakyapuri and Haley Road, where the two Banga Bhavan buildings are located.
Police said no personnel entered Banga Bhavan on Monday and that there were no restrictions on the movement of residents staying there.
“Information was received that about 150-200 supporters of a political party had arrived from West Bengal and were staying in various guest houses and hotels across South Delhi, New Delhi, and Central Delhi. In view of possible visits by senior leaders and VVIPs to these locations, adequate security deployment was made,” police sources said.
The West Bengal Chief Minister also questioned the timing of the exercise in her state, and the way it was conducted, stating that it should have been done in a “proper way, with proper planning.” She said the poll-bound states should not have been the priority for the SIR excercise.
Banerjee, and those affected people and party leaders who accompanied her to the commission were wearing black clothes as a mark of protest.
The chief minister expressed displeasure, saying that she was “saddened” at the current turn of events, adding that in her “entire political career I have not seen such functioning” by the poll panel, which did not “allow people to defend themselves.”
She claimed the rules for the exercise had been altered for her state, and “people were not given an option where documents such as land records and other documents” could be accepted as in the case of other states.
She questioned why SIR was not done in Assam, but insisted on in opposition ruled West Bengal and Tamil Nadu.
According to ECI sources, the AITC delegation led by Banerjee, met the Commission and raised certain issues relating to the ongoing SIR in her state. Sources said the West Bengal CM made her points by banging on the table as she left.
CEC Gyanesh Kumar responded to her queries and explained that the rule of law shall prevail and anybody taking law into their own hands shall be dealt with strictly as per the provisions of law and powers vested in the commission, sources said.
