Abhishek warns against SIR, flags intel gaps, foreign policy missteps
Kolkata: Speaking at the INDIA bloc’s virtual meeting on Saturday, which saw participation from leaders of nearly two dozen Opposition parties, Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee renewed his criticism of the Centre, terming the recent terror attack in Pahalgam a serious “intelligence failure.”
He also raised strong concerns over the Election Commission’s ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, cautioning that it could serve as a backdoor route to implementing the NRC.
Banerjee also expressed concern over what he described as the Centre’s mishandling of foreign policy, leading to its overall decline.
He urged fellow INDIA bloc members to demand a full discussion in Parliament during the upcoming Monsoon Session on the Pahalgam attack and India’s deteriorating strategic positioning globally.
Banerjee questioned the Centre’s silence and alleged lack of accountability in the wake of repeated security lapses.
“In the meeting, Banerjee said the last 10-12 years of India’s foreign policy have witnessed a big decline. It is in bad shape. Why did no ASEAN country name Pakistan while condemning the dastardly Pahalgam attack?” the TMC leader is learnt to have said during the virtual meet.
Flagging serious concerns over the SIR of electoral rolls in Bihar, Banerjee warned that it could be a precursor to a backdoor NRC.
He alleged that the BJP, with the support of the EC, was manipulating voter lists to tilt the electoral balance in its favour, similar to what the TMC claims happened in Maharashtra post-Lok Sabha elections, where 40 lakh voters were allegedly added.
Banerjee accused the BJP of misusing Central agencies such as the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Election Commission to target opposition leaders, calling it a calculated attempt to weaken democratic Opposition and institutional neutrality.
Besides Banerjee, the meeting was attended by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party president Rahul Gandhi, CPI(ML) general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya and several other senior leaders.
In the past, some leaders within the INDIA bloc questioned the relevance of continuing the alliance, citing the irregularity of meetings and lack of coordination.
On December 7, 2024, Trinamool Congress supremo and Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the bloc’s underwhelming performance in states like Haryana, Maharashtra and in various bypolls.
She had remarked: “I was the one who formed the INDIA alliance. If those currently leading it are unable to manage it, give me a chance — I’ll lead it from Bengal.” Her statement received backing from both the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Samajwadi Party.
