Kolkata: CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday said around 10 lakh voters may be deleted when the first supplementary lists are published, alleging the battle against illegal SIR deletions is far from over. She also alleged the BJP-led govt will use delimitation, NRC, and “a conspiracy called the Census” to cancel more names after SIR.“The SIR list was supposed to be released today, but it hasn’t come out. I’ve heard that hearings for 22 lakh out of 60 lakh names have been completed. Among them, 10 lakh have been excluded. Most exclusions are from Murshidabad, Malda and Uttar Dinajpur districts. A particular community has been targeted and excluded. Names of Hindus, Rajbangshis and Matuas have also been excluded,” the CM said, adding she was unsure if all hearings could be completed before the state goes to polls.She alleged this was only part of the plan. Speaking to reporters at her Kalighat home, she said: “The EC might state it later, but we’ve heard that after the elections, they want to start delimitation. Delimitation is being done because they know the Modi govt will not win next time, as the people do not want them. That is why, first, they want to begin delimitation, secondly the NRC, and third is a conspiracy called the Census, where they want to cancel out more people’s names.She alleged: “Modiji has to impose President’s Rule and fight elections — is he so scared of Bengal’s people?” She added: “To those in the EC trying to conduct elections in a President’s Rule-like situation, trying to loot votes — I will ask them not to play backdoor politics but play upfront.”Banerjee claimed that everything regarding SIR was about “following the script set by the BJP.” “First, they have already excluded 58 lakh names, and 60 lakh names are now under adjudication. Look at the BJP’s previous statements and compare the numbers. They decided from the party office that they would delete 1.2 crore names. So, the numbers are adding up. Additionally, if it took almost 20 days to clear 22 lakh names for the supplementary lists, will the rest ever be completed before the elections? Is this not the EC’s injustice? The EC, Amit Shah’s office and Narendra Modi’s office are controlling this whole thing,” she alleged.Taking another swipe at the EC for “crippling the state” and turning it into “undeclared President’s Rule”, the CM claimed even senior state govt officers with no election role have been targeted. “According to the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendations, these cadres stay under the state and work for it. But if all of Bengal’s officers are taken away, who will look after Bengal? This isn’t even an unspoken President’s Rule anymore; it is blatant President’s Rule now.,” she said.
