Kolkata, Nov 8 (IANS) Leader of Opposition in West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari on Saturday called out Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s “hypocrisy” over Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise after he claimed that she herself accepted the enumeration form from a Booth Level Officer (BLO) on November 7.
At the same time, Adhikari claimed that police tried to block the BLO from distributing enumeration forms to Banerjee’s residence.
Addressing a news conference, the BJP leader said: “Hypocrisy is the name of Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress. Mamata Banerjee had earlier thundered from Netaji Indoor Stadium that SIR won’t happen in Bengal. Her Second-in-Command roared we’ll surround the Election Commission with lakhs of people. For months, TMC goons threatened BLOs, intimidated officials, and spread panic, terming SIR means NRC, terrifying Muslims and Hindu refugees alike.”
Attacking Banerjee and her party, Adhikari said: “But what is happening on the ground? A brave BLO, Gautam Babu, went to Mamata Banerjee’s residence. TMC guards and ‘Mamata Police’ tried to block him. He stood firm and said he must hand it to the voter personally as per Election Commission of India’s rule. And guess what Mamata Banerjee herself received the SIR form from the BLO. The same Chief Minister who vowed she won’t allow SIR, personally accepted the Enumeration Form. And TMC’s mouthpiece ‘Jago Bangla’ printed the story that voter Mamata Banerjee herself received her SIR Form.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had denied herself accepting the enumeration form the BLO. However, Banerjee admitted that such forms were given to her residential office.
“Yesterday, the BLO in charge came to our neighbourhood to do their specific work. As per the work, he came to my residence office – found out how many voters there are in the residence and gave them the forms,” Banerjee wrote in a social media post.
“Until every person in Bengal is filling the forms, I have not filled any form myself and will not do so. Various media outlets and newspapers have published that, ‘I came out of my residence and received the enumeration form from the BLO in my own hands!’ This news is completely false, misleading and purposeful propaganda,” added the chief minister.
Meanwhile, Adhikari claimed that the BLO was prevented from entering the neighbourhood where the Chief Minister lives. He also alleged that the Trinamool Congress was the first to accept the SIR exercise as its leaders and ministers have been posing with enumeration forms.
“People in the Chief Minister’s area live a life of imprisonment (due to high security area). When the BLO went there, he was stopped. Later, he came with the SIR form. Then he was allowed to go to Banerjee’s residence,” said Adhikari.
–IANS
sch/pgh