"Attempt to derail crucial process": Suvendu Adhikari hits back at Mamata Banerjee's claims of "harassing citizens" during SIR

Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], January 11 (ANI): West Bengal Leader of Opposition (LoP) Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday wrote to Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, calling Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's claims an attempt to derail a crucial process like the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) drive.
He also called the allegations levelled by Mamata Banerjee "baseless and exaggerated".
"I have written to the Chief Election Commissioner of India, Gyanesh Kumar, strongly countering the baseless, blown out of proportion and exaggerated allegations made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in her letter dated January 10, 2026, regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of Electoral Rolls," Adhikari posted on X.
He stated that the SIR is exposing irregularities in the voter lists, including bogus entries, duplicates, and infiltrators that have persisted under the Trinamool Congress (TMC) administration for years.
According to Adhikari, the CM's allegations are motivated by a desire to protect the party's electoral interests.
"I would again reiterate that her claims are nothing but a desperate attempt to derail this crucial process, which is exposing the rot in our voter lists; bogus entries, duplicates, and infiltrators that have been nurtured under TMC's watch for years. This is damaging their electoral prospects, that's why now she is resorting to hysteria," the BJP leader said.
His letter comes in response to Banerjee's letter to CEC Kumar alleging harassment of citizens during the SIR of electoral rolls.
Earlier, Banerjee had expressed concern over the treatment of ordinary citizens during the SIR exercise. She said the hearings had become largely mechanical, driven by technical data, and lacked the sensitivity, human touch, and application of mind essential for such a fundamental exercise in a democracy.
"Though I know you won't reply or clarify. But (it is) my duty to inform you (of) the details," Banerjee said in the letter.

"I am deeply shocked and disturbed by the manner in which the ECI appears to be relentlessly harassing ordinary citizens during the ongoing SIR. The hearing process has become largely mechanical, driven purely by technical data and is completely devoid of the application of mind, sensitivity and human touch that are indispensable for an exercise of this nature-one that directly forms the bedrock of our democracy and constitutional framework," the letter read.
Banerjee also highlighted cases involving prominent figures, including Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sen, poet Joy Goswami, actor and MP Deepak Adhikari, cricketer Mohammed Shami, and the Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha, who she said were asked to appear before officials to verify their credentials.
She described the process as unplanned, insensitive, and inhumane, calling it "sheer audacity" on the part of the Election Commission.
"It is a matter of profound shame that Nobel Laureate Prof Amartya Sen- a nonagenarian and a globally respected intellectual-has been asked to appear before ECI officials to establish his credentials. Similarly, eminent and widely respected personalities such as renowned poet and awardee Joy Goswami, popular film actor and Member of Parliament Shri Deepak Adhikari, Mohammed Shami an international cricketer and the Maharaj of Bharat Sevashram Sangha have also been subjected to this unplanned, insensitive and inhuman process," the West Bengal said.
Does this not amount to sheer audacity on the part of the ECI? These are only a few examples of known personalities. There are many more who have been put to such undue harassment," she added.
Additionally, Banerjee raised concerns about increasing "logical discrepancy" numbers and reported irregularities with the portal used in West Bengal, which she said differed from those in other states.
She noted that backend changes to case-disposal options were causing confusion among officials and warned that such issues could amount to a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters.
"The so-called logical discrepancy numbers are increasing by the day. It has been reported that the portal being used for West Bengal is apparently different from that used in other States. Further, the options initially provided for disposal of such cases are being altered from the backend in an erratic manner, causing serious confusion among the official machinery engaged in this work. This amounts to a deliberate and clandestine attempt to disenfranchise eligible voters of the State," said the letter. (ANI)