"Is Mamata Banerjee afraid of names of infiltrators getting removed?" BJP's Ram Kadam on TMC's concerns over SIR in WB

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], November 23 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ram Kadam on Sunday launched a scathing attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party the Trinamool Congress (TMC) over its opposition on the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls ahead of next year's state assembly polls, questioning whether she fears the removal of "infiltrators" from the voter list, alleging that her government had brought them in and facilitated their forced registration.
Speaking to ANI, the BJP MLA from Ghatkopar West accused Banerjee of openly supporting Bangladeshi infiltrators, claiming that elections under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership will be conducted with complete transparency.
"If Mamata Banerjee is protesting, the reason is very clear. Is Mamata Banerjee afraid of removing the names of the infiltrators who entered Bengal and whose names were forcibly registered there? What is she afraid of?" Kadam said.
"Elections will be held with complete transparency under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi... Even she (Mamata Banerjee) is unable to hide how she openly supported Bangladeshis and infiltrators," he added.
Currently, a nationwide SIR is underway in 12 states and union territories, including West Bengal, with the final elector's list to be published on February 7, 2026.
These states and UTs include Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Lakshadweep, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.
Mamata Banerjee expressed serious concerns over the ongoing SIR in the state, urging the Election Commission to intervene immediately.
Sharing her concerns in a letter on X, the West Bengal CM addressed to CEC Gyanesh Kumar, Banerjee described the SIR exercise as "unplanned, chaotic and dangerous," highlighting gaps in training, lack of clarity on documentation, and the impossibility of meeting voters amidst their work schedules.
Banerjee, in her letter, further noted the "critical gaps in training, lack of clarity on mandatory documentation and the near-impossibility of meeting voters in the midst of their livelihood schedules have made the exercise structurally unsound."
The Chief Minister expressed serious concerns about the ongoing SIR, citing inadequate planning, insufficient training, and unrealistic timelines that are "compromising the process's credibility."
The Trinamool Congress will also be holding an internal meeting on November 24, chaired by party general secretary Abhishek Banerjee.
The objective of this meeting will be a SIR-related review, improvements across many places and districts, and ensuring that no names are left out.