BJP slams 2 Bengal ministers for making 'provocative' statements over voter list revision

Kolkata, Oct 16 (PTI) The BJP on Thursday accused two West Bengal ministers of attempting to "create terror" and "incite communal unrest" after they allegedly made provocative statements if names of voters were deleted during the revision of electoral rolls in the state.

Reacting sharply to remarks made by ministers Sabina Yasmin and Tajmul Hussain at a party event in Malda, BJP state spokesperson Keya Ghosh said the statements reflected the "lawlessness" prevailing under the Mamata Banerjee government.

"Sabina Yasmin and Tajmul Hussain are TMC ministers yet behaving like local goons. Sabina Yasmin is threatening to disrupt Mothabari, which just a few months ago was affected by communal riots. Is she threatening another bout of violence against Hindus?" Ghosh alleged.

She claimed the TMC was "afraid" that the ongoing Statewide Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls would expose "bogus and illegal voters".

"Why is the Trinamool so scared of the SIR? Do they fear that their core voters — Bangladeshi infiltrators and Rohingyas — would be struck off the list? Earlier, Mamata Banerjee tried to spread panic over CAA, and we saw what happened in Uluberia, Bagnan, Malda, and Murshidabad, where Hindus were targeted. Do they want a rerun of that to instill fear among Hindus?" Ghosh said.

The controversy erupted after two state ministers — Yasmin and Hussain — made provocative statements during a TMC Bijaya Sammelain Malda on Tuesday, warning of unrest if any voter names were deleted as part of the Election Commission's ongoing revision exercise.

Minister and Malda (North) MLA Tajmul Hussain was heard saying, "If any of our voters are removed from the voter list, then all the people of Harishchandrapur will devastate Harishchandrapur. If you do the SIR, do it, but if even one of our voters is removed, we will be in movement and devastate Harishchandrapur..

Another minister, Sabina Yasmin, added, "We are not against the SIR, but if even one person is unfairly removed from the voter list, I, Sabina Yasmin, will devastate the voter list, remember this." PTI, however, couldn't independently verify the authenticity of the two videos of the TMC ministers which have gone viral since Wednesday night.

The comments have triggered a political storm, with the opposition accusing the ruling party of "issuing open threats to influence the voter list revision" ahead of the assembly polls scheduled next year.

The BJP has written to the Election Commission demanding strict action against the two ministers and has reiterated its demand that the 2026 assembly elections be conducted under President's Rule. PTI PNT RG