'Our stance clear, detect & deport': BJP slams Mamata over remarks on SIR; accuses CM of 'inciting riots'

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for opposing the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state, which will go to the polls next year.

In the heated political atmosphere of West Bengal, the SIR has futher intensified the temperature as the state BJP chief accused Mamata Banerjee of wanting to "incite riots and provoke conflict between the Hindu and Muslim communities".

Samik Bhattacharya said the BJP's stance of "detect and deport" is clear and that those who had fled the nation cannot return.


"CM wants to incite riots in West Bengal and provoke conflicts between Hindus and Muslims. The minority community in the state has also realised that 90% of the political killings over the past three years involve people from the minority community," Samik Bhattacharya told news agency ANI.

He further said: "If those who had fled the country have returned today, then this is not a brothel or a Dharamshala where anyone can enter the country. This cannot happen. Our stance is clear - detect and deport."

Adding to Samik Bhattacharya's criticism of Mamata Banerjee, BJP leader Locket Chatterjee alleged that the CM is "misleading" the public as she has no hope of winning the next West Bengal assembly election.

"Mamata Banerjee is afraid of the deletion of fake voters' names in Bihar after the SIR. The highest number of fake voters is here. She has no hope of winning the election this time. She is talking about the NRC to mislead the public. The names of Indian citizens will not be removed... Fake cards are made, and people are sent to vote," she said.

Mamata Banerjee has strongly opposed the EC's decision to conduct a nationwide SIR of electoral rolls, warning the BJP to "not play with fire." She hinted at "public outrage" over the deletion of voters.

"I warned the BJP, don't play with fire. Be prepared for public outrage. People of Bengal never believe you. I heard that the Union home minister said in a party meeting that we will drop many names; who is he to drop them? Today, his government is there, but tomorrow it will not be there," the chief minister said.

Mamata Banerjee has also attacked Union home minister Amit Shah over SIR, alleging that "he acts like acting PM" and compared him to Mir Jafar, a military general, who betrayed Siraj ud-Daulah and helped the East India Company in the Battle of Plassey in June 1757.

"He acts like an acting PM. But PM knows everything; don't trust Amit Shah always. He will be your Mir Jafar one day. Take care of this, morning shows the day," she said.

BJP MP Biplab Kumar Deb strongly condemned West Bengal CM's remark and said, "Ram Mandir, which is linked to our nation's identity, was built during his time. Triple Talaq was also abolished during his time, which helped Muslim women gain freedom... She has a speech disorder. She says anything. She never does what she says, and who actually does what he says is Amit Shah."

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