Kolkata, 27 December (H.S.): Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee will meet Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar at the end of the year. At a press conference held on Saturday Abhishek said that the meeting is scheduled for December 31st.

At the press conference Abhishek Banerjee launched a scathing attack on the Election Commission regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. He alleged that the Election Commission has become an institution that operates via WhatsApp, not as a proper institution. Abhishek said that the list called Logical Discrepancy was sent on WhatsApp without any official press release. According to him, it is a serious question how the draft voter list and the Logical Discrepancy report were prepared on the same day.

Abhishek also questioned why the names are not being made public if the Election Commission genuinely wants to purify the voter list. He claimed that the commission has no transparent answer in this regard.

Abhishek Banerjee also alleged discrimination regarding the SIR deadline. He said that the deadline was extended in other states where the SIR process is underway, but why was this not done in the case of West Bengal? He termed it a deliberate injustice against the state.

Citing data from other states, Abhishek said that a large number of names were removed from the voter list in states like Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Chhattisgarh, yet the situation there was viewed differently. He questioned why only West Bengal is being targeted so harshly.

Abhishek Banerjee alleged that the central government and the Bharatiya Janata Party are not only limited to withholding funds for schemes but are now also attacking the fundamental rights of the people. He said that the country has been brought to a situation where the government wants to decide who will vote and who will not.

Making serious allegations regarding the SIR process, Abhishek said that it was forcibly implemented within two to three months, and its negative consequences are now evident. He claimed that 51 people attempted suicide out of fear of the SIR and NRC, of whom 45 have died and six are currently receiving treatment. He also stated that several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) had attempted suicide.

Abhishek said that in November, a Trinamool delegation met with the Election Commission and raised five fundamental questions, but the commission was unable to provide a satisfactory answer to even one of them.

Regarding political Programme, Abhishek said that keeping the 2026 assembly elections in mind, he will begin touring the districts from the first week of the new year. This tour will start in North Bengal. He also stated that campaign material titled 'Unnayan ki Panchali' (Chronicles of Development) will be distributed everywhere by December 31st, and the campaign will begin on the first day of the new year. The goal is to complete this campaign by February 15th.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Priyanka Pandey