Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee unleashed a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, accusing them of conspiring to manipulate voter lists and push a covert National Register of Citizens (NRC) agenda in her state.
In a fiery speech, she called out the Prime Minister for allegedly branding Bengalis as “thieves” and demanded equal respect for her office as she accords to his.
Speaking at a public gathering, Banerjee minced no words, urging the Election Commission to resist becoming a “lollipop” for the BJP. “I respect the ECI, but I beg you, don’t dance to the BJP’s tune, or the people of this country will never forgive you,” she declared. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief alleged that the BJP is using the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as a pretext to strike off genuine voters, sowing fear and disenfranchising Bengalis ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.
Banerjee’s ire was particularly directed at Modi’s recent remarks in Kolkata on August 22, where he linked corruption and crime to the TMC, claiming funds meant for Bengal’s welfare were being siphoned off by party workers. “I never expected the Prime Minister to call Bengal’s people ‘thieves’ and say that’s why he’s choking our funds,” she retorted. “If anyone’s indulging in theft, look at Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, or Bihar – your double-engine governments are the real culprits.” She insisted that Modi show her office the same respect she extends to his, adding, “This insult to Bengal won’t be tolerated.”
The Chief Minister also accused the BJP of targeting Bengali-speaking communities, labelling them as Bangladeshi infiltrators to justify harassment and potential deportation. “Bangla is an international language, spoken across borders. We didn’t create Bangladesh – you did,” she said, addressing the BJP. “We won’t let you harass every Bengali speaker and push your NRC agenda here.” Banerjee vowed to resist these moves, even at the cost of her life.
The TMC leader further claimed that the ECI is acting at the BJP’s behest, suspending state officials without clear justification and pressuring them to manipulate voter rolls. “I won’t suspend a single officer,” she asserted defiantly, promising to shield Bengal’s bureaucrats from what she called politically motivated witch-hunts.
Hitting back, Suvendu Adhikari, the Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly and a BJP stalwart, dismissed Banerjee’s allegations as baseless. He pointed to a recent case involving a TMC legislator, Jiban Krishna Saha, to counter her “thieves” jibe, suggesting it exposed her party’s own skeletons. On the voter list row, Adhikari maintained that all actions were court-mandated, and the BJP had no direct role. “We want a nationalist government in Bengal that ensures development and security for all,” he said, sidestepping the NRC accusations.
With the 2026 elections looming, this escalating war of words signals a heated political showdown in Bengal. Banerjee’s TMC is doubling down, launching door-to-door campaigns to scrutinise voter lists and root out alleged discrepancies. The Chief Minister’s fierce defence of her state’s identity and electoral integrity has set the stage for a fierce battle, both on the streets and at the ballot box.