‘Cat out of the bag’: Mamata Banerjee alleges EC-BJP nexus over Kerala ‘BJP seal’ fiasco

KOLKATA: Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday lashed out at Election Commission for the presence of a BJP seal on an official letter to political parties, saying “the cat is now out of the bag” and alleging a “nexus” between the saffron party and the poll panel.

The CM also questioned the “midnight publication” of the first supplementary voters’ list and said EC was “neither truthful nor transparent”. She claimed that a section of individuals “under adjudication” are getting their voting right restored — through supplementary lists — because of her decision to move Supreme Court over the SIR.




“The cat is now out of the bag. EC is not unbiased. In their notification, there is a BJP symbol... EC-BJP nexus is evident,” Banerjee said at Kolkata airport on her way to north Bengal. Referring to the Kerala CEO’s statement blaming “a clerical error” for the BJP seal appearing on the letter, she said, “the EC notification was not just for Kerala. It mentions ‘all states and UTs’. You cannot shrug off responsibility by calling it a clerical error.”

On the first supplementary voters’ list, which was to be released by last Saturday but was finally out at 11.45pm on Monday, Banerjee said, “Why was the list published at night? It has still not been put up in blocks and districts. People are still unaware of their voting status. Even yesterday, two people committed suicide. The number of SIR-related deaths is over 200.”

Banerjee claimed EC had desisted from publishing the list despite the fact that judicial officers had long ago scrutinised the documents of the 29 lakh individuals whose names appeared on it. “Why does EC fear publishing the full list? It must be because EC isn’t entirely truthful and transparent. Otherwise, this wouldn’t have taken so long. The judges had finished their work long ago. Why did EC need six to seven more days to publish the list? Was this time used to add voters of a particular party to the list? All of this will become clear once the full list is published,” said Banerjee.

EC has said two more supplementary lists will be published — on Friday and on April 3.

Asked why the entire list (based on the disposal of the close to 60 lakh cases under judicial scrutiny) is not being published, the CM said she, too, has “the same question”.

“I have learnt that the list will be announced once I reach Siliguri. BJP wants to take away people’s rights. I don’t understand this political vendetta or why people are being cheated and misled by EC. Nobody has the authority to take away people’s voting right. This torturous SIR will mark the end of the BJP-EC nexus,” she said.

Alleging that EC is enforcing BJP’s directives, the CM criticised the poll panel’s midnight directive to transfer 73 returning officers. “Under whose directions is EC functioning? Nandigram’s BDO is being brought to Bhowanipore. Seventy-three returning officers were replaced yesterday. Before this, 60-70 IAS and IPS officers of Bengal were transferred,” Banerjee said.

She requested all political parties “to come together and fight against the autocratic rule of one party and its agencies, and to ensure that elections are free and fair”.

“I am asking this... to save and protect democracy and the Constitution. I urge all political parties to unite for the people... How many more lives need to be lost? It’s time to forget political differences. You don’t need to stand by me, but standing by the people is of utmost importance right now. I also request the media to look into this and take responsibility for making people aware and asking the right questions to safeguard their rights,” said Banerjee.