‘Bhag Kyun Raha Hai, Main Ghar Ka Kapda Pehen Ke’: CM Banerjee Seeks Justice For SIR-Affected Families, Watch

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday made strong allegations of "torture" and "atrocities" against Bengalis living in the national capital.

Her remarks came just hours before she was set to lead a Trinamool Congress delegation to meet the Chief Election Commissioner over the controversial Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal.

The Chief Minister said she was heading to Banga Bhawan, the West Bengal government's guest house in New Delhi, to personally assess the situation and hear complaints from people from her state. She accused the Delhi Police of excesses and said she had received troubling information shortly before stepping out.

Mamata Banerjee Raises Allegations of Police Excess

Speaking to the media, Mamata Banerjee said she was deeply disturbed by reports of harassment of Bengalis in Delhi. She claimed that people from West Bengal were facing unfair treatment and alleged that some had even lost their lives.

Drawing a comparison, Banerjee said that when Union Home Minister Amit Shah visits West Bengal, he is accorded full respect. However, she alleged that leaders and residents from Bengal are treated differently in the national capital. She urged authorities to stop what she described as torture and excesses against people from her state.

The Chief Minister said the people of Delhi may not be fully aware of what is happening in West Bengal and added that she rushed to address the matter as soon as she received information.

Trinamool Congress to Meet Chief Election Commissioner

Later in the day, Mamata Banerjee was scheduled to lead a 15-member delegation of the All India Trinamool Congress to meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. The delegation includes senior party leaders, among them Trinamool's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee.

In a post on X, the party said the delegation would formally place its concerns before the Election Commission regarding the conduct of the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in West Bengal. The party described the exercise as biased, arbitrary, discriminatory, and politically motivated.

According to the Trinamool Congress, repeated representations to the Election Commission of India have not received a response so far. The delegation is expected to demand urgent corrective steps to address what the party sees as serious flaws in the process.

Concerns Over Special Intensive Revision in West Bengal

The meeting follows a series of objections raised by Mamata Banerjee over the SIR exercise in the state. A day before the meeting, she wrote directly to the Chief Election Commissioner, alleging that the revision process had caused widespread hardship to ordinary citizens and damaged trust in democratic institutions.

In her letter, Banerjee claimed that the way the SIR was being carried out had led to "immense inconvenience and agony" for the public. She further alleged that the process had resulted in as many as 140 deaths and accused authorities of violating provisions of the Representation of the People Act and related rules.

Nationwide SIR and What Lies Ahead

The Election Commission is currently conducting the Special Intensive Revision across 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal. The final electoral rolls from this exercise are scheduled to be published on February 7.

As tensions rise over the issue, the meeting between the Trinamool Congress delegation and the Election Commission is being closely watched. The outcome could have a significant impact on the political atmosphere in West Bengal and shape the next steps in the ongoing electoral process.