Mamata Banerjee Vows to Protect Citizens' Rights Against BJP's Divisive Agenda

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee pledges to defend citizens' rights against the BJP's divisive agenda. She opposes the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls, claiming it threatens genuine voters' freedoms.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has vowed to resist any efforts to curtail fundamental rights, including freedom of speech and movement. She accused the BJP of promoting division nationwide. Speaking at a rally before Independence Day, she criticised the proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal, claiming it aims to disqualify genuine voters and send them to detention camps.

Banerjee highlighted the historical contributions of Bengal's revolutionaries to India's freedom struggle. She questioned the absence of RSS and BJP during that time. "We won't allow them to snatch our freedom to speak or curb our liberty," she asserted. The Chief Minister also questioned the sudden implementation of SIR, noting a similar revision was completed between 2002 and 2004.

Concerns Over Electoral Roll Revision

Banerjee expressed concerns about the electoral roll revision process. She pointed out that many queued for Aadhaar cards years ago, yet now these are not considered citizenship proof by the Election Commission. "How many born before 1982 can produce birth certificates?" she asked, highlighting the difficulty in providing such documents.

The Chief Minister alleged that the BJP's agenda is to send genuine voters from opposition-ruled states like West Bengal to detention camps under the guise of rolling out NRC. She referenced a Supreme Court verdict offering relief to Bihar regarding Aadhaar and voting rights, hoping for a similar ruling for Bengal.

Migrant Workers' Plight

Banerjee raised concerns about attacks on Bengali-speaking migrants in BJP-ruled states. She cited reports of torture in Maharashtra, Gurgaon, Noida, Odisha, Assam, and Rajasthan. "Why this hatred towards a language?" she questioned, emphasising respect for all languages and diversity.

She noted that while 1.5 crore migrants from other states live peacefully in Bengal, 22 lakh skilled workers from Bengal work elsewhere. Her government facilitated the safe return of over 2,000 migrant workers to Bengal. Banerjee shared an incident where a woman harassed in Delhi felt safe only after returning to Bengal.

Language as a Tool for Division

Banerjee accused the BJP of using language as a divisive tool. She reiterated her government's commitment to linguistic diversity by promoting languages like Alchiki and Gurumukhi. "I love every language and appreciate every dialect," she stated, criticising attempts to use language as a weapon.

She accused Assam's government of sending notices to Bengali-speaking citizens in Coochbehar and Jalpaiguri with false allegations leading to detention camps. Banerjee stressed that this divisive approach contradicts the ideals fought for by India's freedom fighters.

The Chief Minister concluded by reaffirming her dedication to fighting for people's rights and preserving linguistic diversity. Her speech underscored her commitment to opposing any actions that threaten these fundamental freedoms.

With inputs from PTI