Abhishek calls to constitute ‘booth raksha committees’; TMC will hold rallies in every block across Bengal

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee held a virtual meeting with party leaders, MLAs, and MPs on Saturday, calling for the immediate constitution of “booth raksha committees.” Abhishek also slammed the Election Commission of India (ECI) for failing to publish the list of ‘logical discrepancies’ in all Gram Panchayats and Municipal wards by the Supreme Court-mandated January 24 deadline, asking what the poll body was trying to hide; however, after his post later in the day, the ECI, reportedly, uploaded the list of names related to SIR logical discrepancies on its website.

Taking a dig at the ECI, he posted on X: “Despite a clear order from the SC and its own formal communication, the @ECISVEEP has failed to release and publish the list of LOGICAL DISCREPANCIES that it was mandated to publish by the 24th January- today in all Gram Panchayats and municipal wards.” He also asked on social media if discrepancies could be identified in one hour, but why does it take days to disclose them? “The same software that allegedly assessed and analysed over 7 crore enumeration forms and miraculously detected “logical discrepancies” within one hour on 16 December immediately after the draft rolls were published now seems to have lost its logic, speed, credibility and confidence,” Banerjee said.

“Three obvious questions therefore remains stark and unanswered: WHAT EXACTLY IS THE ECI TRYING TO HIDE? If DISCREPANCIES could be identified in one hour, why does it take days to DISCLOSE them? Is the @ECISVEEP looking for LOGIC or hiding the DISCREPANCIES?” he further asked.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee held a closed-door virtual meeting with party leaders, MLAs, MPs where he called for the immediate constitution of a “booth raksha committee” in every booth to thwart BJP’s alleged attempts to delete genuine voters through the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and “logical discrepancies.” Banerjee directed party MPs and MLAs to activate the election war room in their respective constituencies immediately and send regular updates to the party leadership from January 27, sources within the party said.

Trinamool Congress will hold a rally in each block of Bengal on Sunday on the occasion of National Voters’ Day (January 25) to protest harassment of people in the name of the implementation of the SIR of electoral rolls in Bengal.

Addressing the meeting, he told his party leaders that a delegation from the party will soon visit the Election Commission in protest against attempts to disenfranchise voters through “logical discrepancies.” Banerjee during the virtual meeting, urged the BLAs to ensure that voters do not go to the hearings alone.

Banerjee directed his party leaders and activists alike to work for the people, particularly to make sure that names of valid voters are deleted, while in the evening, they will have to screen the film “Lakhsmi Elo Ghore” that showcases various social and development schemes of the Mamata Banerjee government, so that people in the blocks get to know about them in detail. Banerjee has asked his party MPs to return to their constituencies.

He also pointed out that in several places, the “war room” of the party related to SIR was not working. These “war rooms” have to be made operational within the next 24-48 hours. The MPs will also coordinate with the district elections officers. He also laid emphasis on the extensive campaign of “Unnayoner Panchali” as well.