Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday launched a fierce attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar over the Statewide Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, accusing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of spreading panic among citizens.
After visiting the residence of Pradip Kar — who allegedly died by suicide due to fear of the NRC process — Banerjee questioned the moral right of Shah and Kumar to demand documents from ordinary citizens.
“Can Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar furnish the documents they are asking from the common people?” Banerjee asked, expressing outrage over what he termed the BJP’s “politics of intimidation”.
“BJP is creating fear in the minds of the people. Pradip Kar was the only earning member of his family, and now, after his death, his family is struggling to survive. They have lived here for more than 40 years,” Banerjee said, announcing a protest rally in Panihati on Thursday to highlight the issue.
Reassuring citizens, the Diamond Harbour MP urged people not to panic, stating, “As long as Mamata Banerjee is the Chief Minister and the TMC government is in power, no genuine voter will be harmed.”
Banerjee further slammed the BJP for its “hypocrisy” in claiming to be protectors of Hindus while allegedly ignoring the plight of Kar’s family. “Not a single BJP leader came to meet the bereaved family. If any BJP leader comes for SIR or vote-related work, tie them to trees and ask them to show all the documents that they demand from common people,” he said.
