Mamata Banerjee Rejects Claims She Accepted SIR Form, Calls It “Deliberate Propaganda”

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has firmly denied receiving any voter enumeration form, contradicting media reports that claimed she had personally accepted the document from election officials at her Kolkata residence.

In a strongly worded Facebook post on Thursday, Banerjee clarified that while a Booth Level Officer (BLO) had visited her neighborhood as part of the Special Intensified Revision (SIR) of voter lists, she had neither received nor completed any form.

“Until every person in Bengal is filling the form, I myself have not filled any form and will not,” Banerjee stated. She described the reports of her receiving the form as “totally false, confusing and purposeful propaganda.”

The controversy emerges amid growing tensions between Banerjee’s Trinamool Congress (TMC) government and the central election authorities. Just days earlier, the Chief Minister had led a massive rally in Kolkata protesting the ongoing revision of Bengal’s electoral rolls, which her party has characterized as “silent, invisible rigging” orchestrated by the BJP-led central government and the Election Commission.

The Special Intensified Revision process began earlier this week across West Bengal, with BLOs visiting residences to verify voter information and collect updated details. The process has become politically charged in a state where electoral politics is often contentious and divisive.

During her recent rally, Banerjee expressed concerns about potential disenfranchisement, particularly among unorganized sector workers. She highlighted fears that legitimate Bengali-speaking citizens might be inappropriately labeled as foreigners.

“Many unorganised sector workers are thinking whether their names will be removed. Talking in Bangla does not mean Bangladeshi, just like speaking in Hindi or Punjabi does not mean Pakistani,” Banerjee said at the rally. She further criticized what she perceives as linguistic profiling, adding, “Whoever is talking in Bangla is branded as Bangladeshi.”

The Chief Minister’s stance reflects long-standing sensitivities in West Bengal regarding citizenship and identity. The state shares a porous border with Bangladesh and has historically been affected by migration issues. These demographic considerations have become increasingly politicized in recent years, with the BJP advocating for stricter verification measures while the TMC has positioned itself as a defender of Bengali-speaking populations regardless of origin.

Political analysts view this latest episode as part of a broader pattern of confrontation between the state government and central authorities. West Bengal, under Banerjee’s leadership since 2011, has frequently challenged initiatives from New Delhi, particularly those seen as encroaching on state autonomy or potentially disadvantaging certain communities.

The electoral roll revision comes at a politically significant moment, with assembly elections anticipated in the coming years. Control over the voter list verification process has emerged as a critical battleground between the ruling TMC and opposition BJP, with both sides accusing each other of attempting to manipulate the electoral system.

Election Commission officials have maintained that the Special Intensified Revision is a routine administrative exercise designed to ensure electoral rolls remain accurate and up-to-date. They emphasize that the process follows established protocols and is being conducted with transparency.

However, Banerjee’s public refusal to participate in the enumeration process could potentially encourage similar resistance among her supporters, complicating the revision exercise across parts of the state.

As the situation develops, both the state government and election authorities are likely to intensify their messaging around the voter verification process, with implications for voter participation and the integrity of upcoming electoral contests in this politically vital eastern state.