Mamata flags Army’s Fort William link in voter roll ‘manipulation’

Kolkata: The confrontation between the Bengal government and the Election Commission of India (ECI) over the SIR took a dramatic turn on Tuesday after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made allegations involving the Indian Army’s eastern headquarters at Fort William.

Alleging misuse of central agencies to selectively remove names from the electoral rolls, Banerjee referred specifically to Fort William and claimed she had information that “a commandant is sitting inside Fort William, carrying out SIR work under the instruction of the BJP and manipulating the voter list”.

“A few days ago, some people from the media were invited from the Army office.

There is information that one commandant is working for the BJP and the SIR. He is doing party work from the Army office. I request that this should not be done,” she alleged.

Describing the allegation as extremely serious, she said the armed forces are constitutionally expected to remain apolitical and neutral. She clarified that she holds the Indian Armed Forces in the highest regard and had no objection to journalists being invited earlier to Fort William for an interaction. However, she strongly objected to any Army officer, in uniform and from within a military establishment, engaging in partisan political activity. Folding her hands, she appealed to the officers concerned, saying: “Please, I request you with folded hands—do not do this.”

Responding to the allegations, Governor C V Ananda Bose said: “First, let me verify for myself what she said. If that violates any Constitutional proprieties, certainly I will intervene.”