"Supported illegal activities and criminal elements...": BJP's Gopal Krishna Agarwal slams Mamata Banerjee

New Delhi [India], January 8 : BJP spokesperson Gopal Krishna Agarwal on Thursday criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of supporting illegal activities and criminal elements.
He also said that she repeatedly disrespects constitutional institutions, while saying that voters would take these issues into account in the upcoming West Bengal elections.
Addressing a press conference in the national capital, Agarwal said, "If we look at Mamata Banerjee's past record, she has stood with illegal elements and with people who, in one way or another, are working against the interests of the country. She has supported illegal activities and criminal elements."
"She is not ready to respect or support constitutional institutions in any manner, whether it is speaking against the Election Commission, or making allegations against the Enforcement Directorate or the courts. All this is now clearly visible before everyone. In the upcoming elections in West Bengal, the people will definitely keep these issues in mind while casting their vote," he said.
Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, alleging large-scale harassment of voters and warning that her government would take legal steps, including approaching the Supreme Court, to protect people's rights.
Addressing a public meeting at Gangasagar in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee claimed that around 54 lakh names had been deleted from the voter lists in the district alone.
She alleged that artificial intelligence was being misused to remove names and accused the Election Commission of functioning like a "WhatsApp Commission".
In a direct personal jibe, the Chief Minister referred to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar as "Vanish Kumar", warning that if people's rights were made to "vanish", those responsible would face consequences.
She asserted that there would be "no detention camps in West Bengal" and said she would challenge any such move legally.
Banerjee alleged that elderly citizens above the age of 85, pregnant women and seriously ill people, including those on oxygen support, were being summoned during the SIR process, calling it inhuman and unacceptable. She claimed that "nearly 70 people had died and several had attempted suicide due to harassment" linked to the revision exercise.