According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attentively listened to all concerns and has advised that, keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections in twenty-six, the ongoing SIR process in Bengal must be made simple and transparent.
Photo: IANS
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday met a delegation of the West Bengal BJP unit in the national capital over the ongoing SIR (special intensive revision) exercise in the state, sources said.
However, state leaders have informed the Prime Minister that, according to sources, ‘the SIR could backfire in Bengal.’ The backfire refers to the politics of religious polarisation, with a significant likelihood that Hindu names, identified as their voter base, may be excluded from the voter list. This has led to an increasing concern among the leaders of the BJP in Bengal.
Advertisement
According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has attentively listened to all concerns and has advised that, keeping in mind the upcoming assembly elections in twenty-six, the ongoing SIR process in Bengal must be made simple and transparent.
Advertisement
In contrast to other states, the central leadership is of the opinion that if the voter list undergoes a comprehensive revision, the BJP could achieve success in Bengal.
Parliament member Raju Bista announced that Prime Minister Modi has stated to the BJP MPs of Bengal, ‘We must work harder and ensure our victory in the elections.’ The winter session of Parliament has commenced, and as per tradition, during the session, the Prime Minister meets with the MPs from his party in each state.
Before the session began on Wednesday, the current state president and MP Shamik Bhattacharya, along with the former state president and central state minister Sukanta Majumdar, were present at a special meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, along with other BJP MPs from Bengal.
After several long years, this meeting between the Prime Minister and the BJP MP from Bengal has taken place.
During the meeting, Modi provided advice to the BJP MPs. Although the list has been revised, it was anticipated that a significant number of Muslim voters would be removed from the list. This is perceived by the political community as a part of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s voter base in Bengal.
However, as the first phase of the list revision progresses, concerns have increased within the Bengal BJP. According to sources, a large portion of the names that are likely to be removed so far belong to the BJP’s voter base. In other words, reports have reached the state leadership from the party’s grassroots indicating this situation regarding Hindu voters, as stated by a senior leader in the state.
On Wednesday, Narendra Modi emphasised to MPs that the SIR process should not be overly complicated and that the message should reach the general public.
MP and State President Shamik Bhattacharya informed that Modi has instructed the Bengal BJP MPs, “Keep the SIR process simple and transparent. This process is solely about including the names of legitimate voters in the list and removing the names of illegal voters.”
He further stated that the Prime Minister emphasised the importance of conveying a clear understanding of the SIR process to the people at the grassroots level.
Additionally, the Prime Minister enquired in detail about the incident involving BJP MP Khagen Murmu and sought updates on the MP’s physical condition. He also assured that security measures would be enhanced if necessary. At last, the prime minister praised the past efforts of the state BJP MPs.
Advertisement
