Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) chairperson and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee lifted her sit-in protest over ‘hasty’ implementation of the SIR. The demonstration began on March 6.
TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday had urged the party supremo to lift her sit-in demonstration.
Mamata Banerjee said that she called off the protest after the Supreme Court assured that the names of voters under adjudication could be included up to the penultimate day of elections.
She added that, having received partial justice following the Court’s observations on Tuesday, she decided to end the sit-in. Banerjee also considered Abhishek’s appeal, Mamata said: “We were on the street for five days. Abhishek took opinions from all. I have therefore taken the decision to withdraw it.”
The TMC supremo added: “We had started a sit-in demonstration only to ensure that people get their voting rights. We will also be able to go to the tribunal after the polls are announced. I have spoken to our lawyers. It is the victory of the people. We will keep a track.”
Speaking to the gathering on Tuesday evening, she remarked: “Even after the polls are announced, the matter will be under the consideration of the Supreme Court. Don’t think that your names will not be uploaded after the polls are announced. If anyone’s name is not included till the penultimate day of elections, please come to us, and we will show it as a special case.”
She added: “We are also waiting for the final justice. People will get their voting rights. The door, which was closed has been opened.”
The Trinamool Congress chief once again slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI), saying that the poll body was deliberately trying to delay the Bengal elections.
Banerjee also expressed her apprehension, saying that the ECI may announce the polls after the Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi attends the Brigade rally on March 14.
The BJP’s “Parivartan Yatra” which is underway, is expected to end with the PM’s rally. Without taking PM’s name, Banerjee said: “The polls may be announced after he conducts the campaign.”
She also expressed her assumption that polls may be announced on March 15 or 16.
Earlier in the day, Banerjee took up a canvas on her Dharna stage and painted the words ‘SIR’ and ‘Vanish’, expressing her protest against alleged arbitrary deletions of names from the electoral rolls.
Incidentally, gold-winning heptathlete Swapna Barman, who had recently joined Trinamool Congress, attended the sit-in protest and alleged that in the name of SIR, democracy was “butchered”.
A team of representatives from the Sikh community, led by Gurbaks Singh, came to the dharma stage and expressed their support for Banerjee.