"SIR is a kind of NRC and the entire opposition says this": TMC's Sushmita Dev targets BJP

Sribhumi (Assam) [India], November 4 (ANI): Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Sushmita Dev launched a blistering attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Assam, alleging that the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) proposed by the Centre is "nothing but another form of the NRC" and claiming that the BJP is avoiding its implementation in the state "out of fear of being exposed."
Speaking to ANI on Monday, Dev said, "SIR is a kind of NRC that the entire opposition party. Tejashwi Yadav, Mamata Didi, Kharge ji...is talking about. Why didn't it happen in Assam? This is the biggest proof that this is an NRC. In Assam, from 2013 to 2019, more than 3 crore people showed their papers. If there is an SIR in Assam, then the BJP will have to answer what happened to the NRC."
She alleged that the BJP was not conducting SIR in Assam to "avoid embarrassment" as the NRC exercise "had already failed in the state."
"Because the SIR is an NRC, and the NRC has failed. The people will ask questions. That's why the BJP is not doing an SIR in Assam out of fear," the TMC MP said.
The TMC leader further questioned why the NRC could not be completed, despite the BJP being in power at both the Centre and in the state.
"If NRC was meant to identify foreigners, why couldn't you finalise it? You are fooling Hindus into voting by talking about demography. If you have the power, Mr Amit Shah, Mr Himanta Biswa Sarma, finalise the NRC first. Until that is done, there will be no solution," Dev added.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) will conduct the second phase of SIR of electoral rolls across 12 States and Union Territories, with the final voter list scheduled to be published on February 7, 2026, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar said. The first phase of SIR was completed in Bihar ahead of assembly polls.
When asked about the plight of minorities in Assam, Dev accused Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma of "fooling Hindus" with his statements on demography and eviction drives.
"The Chief Minister says he's improving the demography by doing evictions, but he destroys homes without checking the papers of poor people. When the same people move to another village, what changes in the demography? Before every election, the BJP talks about demography to divert attention," she said.
On the controversy surrounding singer Zubeen Garg's death and the SIT report, Dev claimed that the people of Assam have lost trust in the BJP government and stand with Garg.
"The people of Assam were in love with Zubeen Garg. They have lost faith in the BJP, especially the Chief Minister. When the SIT report comes, we will see what it says. If there is any issue with Zubeen Garg's charge sheet, the Chief Minister should resign," she said. (ANI)