Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday renewed her demand for the removal of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, whom she referred to as “Vanish Kumar”, accusing him of “vanishing” voters' names from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
According to an ANI report, while addressing a rally in Hooghly, Banerjee said her party would continue protesting over the issue and demanded compensation for voters whose names were left out of the rolls during the SIR exercise.
“Vanish Kumar must go; we will protest till the last time for this issue,” she said.
“SIR list must come back; those whose names were unlisted, government should give compensation for loss,” she added.
Banerjee also said she had sent a message to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and indicated that a meeting of the INDIA bloc could be held on September 30.
“I got information before reaching here: a full jam in Uttarpara; people are being stopped from coming here to attend the programme. I never blame the police, but ask yourself what you are doing. You threatened our workers' homes and arrested them; around 200 workers were arrested,” she said.
“I’m on house arrest, but thanks to Kalyan, I’m here in this programme,” she added.
Banerjee also alleged that people were prevented from reaching the rally and claimed that around 200 party workers had been arrested.
“I got information before reaching here: a full jam in Uttarpara; people are being stopped from coming here to attend the programme. I never blame the police, but ask yourself what you are doing. You threatened our workers' homes and arrested them; around 200 workers were arrested,” she said.
“I’m on house arrest, but thanks to Kalyan, I’m here in this programme,” she added.
Her remarks came amid a political row over the SIR after an Indian Express report said two of the three Election Commissioners had objected to several decisions and orders concerning the exercise.
According to the report, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi had raised objections at least 14 times over the last 10 months to decisions and orders issued without their knowledge.
The Election Commission has maintained that internal technical notes, written queries and suggestions are part of the normal functioning of a multi-member constitutional body. It has also asserted that all final decisions related to the SIR were taken unanimously and had the approval of all three commissioners.
Opposition parties, including the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal, Shiv Sena (UBT) and Left parties, have stepped up their criticism of the Election Commission, raising concerns over electoral transparency and demanding accountability.
(With inputs from ANI)