Kolkata, October 29, 2025
In a fiery broadside against the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Trinamool Congress (TMC) General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday dubbed the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls as "Silent Invisible Rigging" aimed at disenfranchising genuine voters ahead of crucial polls. The Diamond Harbour MP warned Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar against fleeing the country and vowed to mobilize a lakh-strong protest in Delhi if even a single eligible voter's name is deleted, escalating the political row over the ECI's surprise voter list purge.
Addressing a packed rally in Hooghly district, Banerjee accused the ECI of colluding with the BJP to "select voters" through arbitrary deletions, questioning the "mysterious timing" of the SIR just months before assembly elections. "This SIR is not Special Intensive Revision—it's Silent Invisible Rigging by the EC and BJP to erase names of those who won't vote for them. They want to turn democracy into a BJP dynasty," he thundered, drawing roars from the crowd. He specifically targeted Union Home Minister Amit Shah, daring him to visit Bengal and demand "ancestry proof" from locals—a veiled reference to the BJP's alleged NRC-like tactics—urging TMC workers to "confront" saffron leaders on the streets.
Banerjee's salvo comes a day after the ECI announced the SIR drive across West Bengal, Assam, and Kerala, mandating voters to submit documents proving residency and identity by November 25. Critics, including Banerjee, allege the process disproportionately targets minorities and the poor, lacking adequate outreach in rural areas. "If they delete one name, we'll lay siege to the ECI headquarters. A hundred thousand people from Bengal will march to Delhi—don't run away, CEC Gyanesh Kumar," he declared, invoking the spirit of past agitations like the anti-CAA protests.
The TMC leader's rhetoric has found echoes in southern strongholds, with Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin labeling the SIR a "conspiracy" and Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan calling it an assault on federalism. Banerjee linked the move to the BJP's "Operation Sindoor," a purported strategy to manipulate rolls in opposition-ruled states, and slammed the ECI for ignoring TMC pleas for a deferral. "We've written 10 letters—zero response. This is not revision; it's revisionism to rewrite Bengal's voter map in BJP's favor," he added.
BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar hit back, dismissing Banerjee's claims as "TMC's paranoia" and defending the SIR as a routine cleanup to eliminate fakes. "Abhishek Babu is scared because ghosts from Sandeshkhali and scams will haunt them at the polls. Let the ECI do its job; Bengal's voters know who's rigging what—it's Mamata's goons," Majumdar retorted at a counter-rally in Howrah.
The controversy has snowballed into a national flashpoint, with opposition parties like Congress and CPI(M) demanding judicial oversight on the SIR. Legal experts note that while the ECI has constitutional autonomy, the lack of digital verification options could lead to widespread exclusions, potentially violating Supreme Court guidelines on voter rights. As Banerjee's call-to-arms spreads via social media—trending under #StopSilentRigging—the stage is set for street showdowns, with TMC cadres already verifying rolls door-to-door.
In a parting shot, Banerjee invoked Bengal's revolutionary legacy: "From Netaji to today, we've fought silent oppressors. BJP, try your ancestry games here—you'll learn Bengal's bloodline doesn't bend." With elections on the horizon, the "Silent Invisible Rigging" tag has stuck, turning a bureaucratic exercise into a battle cry for Bengal's political soul.
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