‘If BJP was so assured to win, then why did it use a weapon like SIR?’ Shashi Panja | India Information
6 min learnApr 14, 2026 02:17 PM IST
TMC minister Shashi Panja was one of many 60 lakh-odd individuals whose names had been placed on the adjudication record by the Election Fee within the controversial Particular Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral roll in West Bengal. Panja, the three-term MLA from Shyampukur, is contesting once more after her title was included within the voter roll following the adjudication course of. Tanusree Bose speaks with the TMC chief as she campaigns. Excerpts
With over 45 per cent of over 60 lakh voters’ names deleted from West Bengal’s electoral roll how do you see the SIR train together with the adjudication course of?
“The method of making an attempt to weed out precise authorized residents could be very unlucky. Throughout campaigning, I got here throughout complaints of harassment. It’s stunning that individuals who have been voters for years, collaborating in all of the elections have their names deleted. So the SIR difficulty is a really huge drawback, and it’ll have an effect on the voting alternative of the individuals.
“The adjudication course of was performed solely in West Bengal and over 60 lakh names had been placed on the record… This was not required as a result of there have been quite simple points, like modifications within the surnames of girls after their marriage, spelling errors which might be very comprehensible and regular. They had been put within the logical discrepancy class. After we undergo the record of the adjudicated names in my constituency, we see that out of the two,759 names underneath adjudication, virtually 2,081 names have been deleted. There have been huge deletions on this and each stage… That is very regarding and unnerving– a typical sentiment that folks carry.”
Your title was within the adjudication record
“I used to be put within the record of logical discrepancies, although I used to be mapped with the 2002 record, and I’ve proof to show it… However sure, I used to be referred to as for adjudication, which was once more a sort of critical concern for my voters who had been fearful for his or her MLA as I used to be declared a candidate from my get together. My title bought included within the voters’ record within the second supplementary record.
If the BJP is so assured that it will probably type the federal government, then why did they resort to utilizing a weapon like SIR… to chop down the voters’ inhabitants and use a stunted voters’ record to attempt to win Bengal? If the BJP is so assured of profitable, then it ought to attempt to win by means of the complete voters’ record. On one hand, the BJP is deleting the authorized voters’ names, and alternatively, it’s making an attempt so as to add new voters by means of Kind 6 from outdoors the state, which now we have caught red-handed.”
What’s your opinion concerning the Election Fee’s function?
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“There could also be an ethical code of conduct in place, however it is a presidential regime and a diktat the EC is following. That’s what we’re opposing. They’re transferring officers as if they’re incompetent, however then posting them as observers in different states. So, then they’re competent sufficient to be observers. It’s a determined try and overhaul the whole system and in defiance of a politically elected authorities…”
It’s an all-out narrative the place all of the establishments within the nation have been made fragile by the BJP. Utilizing the CBI, ED, NIA and Earnings Tax proper earlier than the elections is one thing the individuals of Bengal have gotten used to now.”
How do you see the LPG disaster impacting the election?
“The rising worth of the LPG cylinder is a large burden on any unusual citizen. Not solely are you getting a fuel cylinder perhaps after 25 to 30 days, however the elevated value of cylinders can also be an enormous burden on the citizen, and there’s no respite from all this. This may definitely have an effect.”
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a number of women-centric schemes. How will this assist?
“These are initiatives of economic empowerment. These massively standard schemes lower throughout all political traces. They’re above any politics, faith, language, or caste. There was no bias. The SIR course of is attacking ladies voters as a result of Didi (Mamata Banerjee) has empowered ladies politically, socially, and economically. That’s the reason the BJP has adopted the technique to assault that votebank, and that’s the reason there are deletion of girls voters from the electoral roll. They’ve virtually modified the male-female ratio of this state… In the event that they (BJP) are proclaiming to start out Annapurna Bhandar right here, then why not start the scheme within the BJP-ruled states and present it for instance? Then solely the individuals of Bengal will consider that BJP truly means.”
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In comparison with 2021, the BJP has modified its technique this time. Do you suppose it can have an effect on the TMC votebank?
“Principally, the BJP modifications its technique not in an natural means. So once they say Pleasure Ma Kali, we all know it’s all for votes. It’s not their inherent devotion to Ma Kali. Those that chanted Jai Shri Ram for years are actually chanting Pleasure Ma Kali. Those that would humiliate Bengal and the Bengali language are actually making an attempt to talk the language once they come to the state and deal with the individuals in Bengali. The BJP leaders have mentioned that Bengali is the language of the Bangladeshis. Then why are you even making an attempt to hunt Bengali votes? Bengali migrant employees had been overwhelmed up for talking in Bengali. So mainly, they’re contradicting themselves, and that’s the reason their technique could change, however it is extremely artificial and shallow, and they’re caught in their very own entice.”
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