Kolkata: West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday once again attacked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led Centre, saying that in 2016 “note bandi” (demonetisation) was introduced and now the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) has been rolled out with the intention of “vote bandi”.
Addressing a political rally in Bengal’s Malda district, Banerjee said that the BJP’s call for capturing Bengal in the 2026 assembly elections would remain a far cry as the party has dug its own grave by pushing SIR.
“You have made huge money. Once you implemented note-bandi (demonetisation) and now in the name of SIR you are doing vote-bandi. Several people have died. How many more lives would be lost?” she said.
The chief minister is visiting Malda and Murshidabad, two Muslim-dominated districts in West Bengal that share borders with Bangladesh.
“Amit Shah, Union home minister, is behind this. The plan was to either hold SIR or bring down the government if the SIR is stopped. Do whatever you like, but we will snatch our rights. You can’t stop Bengal,” she said.
“No matter how hard you try, grabbing Bengal is a far cry. You have dug your graves by rolling out SIR. People don’t support you. You captured Bihar. You can’t occupy Bengal. Even the British failed. The bed bugs need to be wiped out politically,” she added.
Defending the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government’s recent decision to upload details of 82,000 Waqf properties on the central portal by December 5 — a move that drew criticism from a section of the minority community — she said that the Waqf Amendment Act, 2025 was passed by the Centre and that the state government was against it.
“BJP, don’t try to teach me Hindutva. I know what Hindutva is. I have renovated and built multiple temples. What have you done? You understand only one religion — ‘Atyachari dharma’. It exploits and deprives people,” she said.
The TMC supremo also alleged that the SIR was rolled out at least six months ahead of the assembly elections so that development work in the state can be stalled and people don’t get to avail services.
Asking people not to panic, she said, “None would be sent to detention centres. No one would be pushed back to Bangladesh. Everyone can stay here as you are the citizens and voters. Stay in peace, I am your paharadar (security guard). I will take care.”
BJP leaders in the state also launched a scathing attack against Banerjee, saying that the report card of the TMC government’s 15-year rule was a bag full of lies.
“She has been telling lies both about her qualifications and about the developments in West Bengal. If the people of West Bengal give the BJP a chance in 2026, we will show them the light which they have been deprived of since Independence. Even though we have a federal structure, the state government thinks of the Centre as its rival,” BJP MLA and opposition chief in the state assembly Shankar Ghosh said.
