Kolkata, 22 February (H.S.): Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Sunday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of attempting to stall the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. She asserted that the people of the state have made up their minds to remove the Trinamool Congress government from power.

Addressing the ‘Nari Sankalp Yatra’ organised by the women’s wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party at the Science City auditorium in Kolkata, Gupta alleged that the state government’s policies of appeasement and administrative laxity had enabled large-scale infiltration in recent years. According to her, this has put pressure on essential public services and basic rights, including access to water, electricity, ration benefits, education, employment and voting rights.

Gupta maintained that the objective of the Special Intensive Revision is to purify the electoral rolls and identify illegally included names. She questioned why the state government was opposing a process aimed at ensuring free and fair elections.

Raising concerns over women’s safety, she alleged that despite having a woman chief minister, the condition of women in the state remains insecure. Referring to the rape and murder of a woman doctor at R.G. Kar Hospital, she claimed that the government’s response to such incidents had been inadequate. She also cited alleged incidents of sexual assault in Durgapur and at a college campus in Kolkata, asserting that law and order has deteriorated.

Criticising the state’s welfare initiatives, Gupta said that assurances alone were not enough and that women required concrete security measures. She further alleged that several central government schemes, including Ayushman Bharat, the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and the Jal Jeevan Mission, had not been fully implemented in the state, depriving the poor of their intended benefits.

Expressing concern over the education sector, she claimed that a shortage of teachers has adversely affected many government-run schools and accused the state administration of resisting the implementation of the National Education Policy.

Concluding her address, Gupta urged women to unite against what she described as intimidation and misgovernance. She said the people of Bengal deserve to live with dignity and that women, in particular, must be ensured safety and respect.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh