Kolkata, 17 April (H.S.) : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday accused the Trinamool Congress of conspiring to include the names of infiltrators in the electoral rolls. He said that people whose names were removed for valid reasons did not protest, while the Trinamool Congress has been consistently opposing the Special Intensive Revision process.

Addressing a press conference in Kolkata, Fadnavis said constitutional provisions exist for redressal of grievances during the special revision of voter lists. If any person’s name has been wrongly deleted, they can seek legal remedies and file an appeal.

He said, “Those whose names were removed for legitimate reasons did not protest. Why is only the Trinamool Congress objecting? The Supreme Court may have made certain observations, but it did not stay the process. Despite this, the Trinamool Congress wanted it halted.”

Fadnavis said such a revision should be conducted every 10 years so that the names of deceased, relocated, and unauthorised voters can be removed from the rolls. He alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress was opposing the exercise to gain fraudulent advantage in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Rejecting Trinamool Congress allegations of attacks on Bengali-speaking migrant workers in BJP-ruled states, Fadnavis said the real issue was why people from West Bengal were being forced to leave the state in search of employment.

He said, “If people of Bengal have to leave the state for every kind of job, the Trinamool government should feel ashamed. It reflects the government’s failure. I am not speaking only about high-ranking positions, but employment of every kind.”

Fadnavis further said that a large Bengali community resides in cities such as Pune, Mumbai and Nagpur, where Durga Puja and Kali Puja are celebrated on a grand scale. He added that the pandals there rival the grandeur of Kolkata.

Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh