Kolkata, Oct 27 A purported video has gone viral where a Trinamool Congress legislator is heard threatening to "burn" the BJP leaders and workers alive if the name of a single genuine voter is deleted from the voters ' list following the Election Commission of India (ECI)-proposed Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal.
“Otherwise, we would not have any headache over the SIR. But if the names of genuine voters are deleted from the voters' lists after the SIR, I will burn the BJP leaders and workers alive. They are trying to pollute the environment in West Bengal. They are trying to deprive the people of their voting rights in the name of SIR. I am asking everyone to be alert in the current situation,” NisithKumar Malik, Trinamool Congress legislator from Bardhaman (Uttar) Assembly constituency in East Burdwan district, was heard saying in the video.
He reportedly said this while speaking to the local media persons in the district on Sunday afternoon. IANS, however, could not check the authenticity of the video that has gone viral.
He also claimed that SIR had created panic even among the voters from the Hindu community, especially among those who had come as refugees from Bangladesh, like the Matuas and Rajbanshis.
“I know they are panicking. But I request them to have faith in the state government and the Trinamool Congress. We will ensure that the name of a single genuine voter is not deleted from the voters’ list,” Malik said.
BJP spokesman Soumyajit Bandopadhyay said that such threatening comments are nothing new from Trinamool Congress leaders, and such comments prove their ideological and political bankruptcy.
This is not the first time that Trinamool Congress leaders have given such threats.
Earlier this month, two members of the state cabinet, namely the Minister of State for the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Department, Tajmul Hossain, and the Minister of State for the State Irrigation and Waterways Department, Sabina Yasmin, were heard publicly threatening riots over SIR.
This month only, Trinamool Congress MP and former Minister Partha Bhowmik said at a public meeting that "West Bengal will be on the boil if the name of a single genuine voter is deleted from the voters' list after the SIR".
He also called upon people to "chase and detain BJP leaders in different pockets of the state in case the name of a single genuine voter is deleted from the voters' list".
On October 9, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing the media, said that she would not tolerate the deletion of names of any particular community from the voters' list.
"I am asking them (ECI) not to play with fire. A crisis because of a natural calamity is still prevailing in West Bengal. Houses of several people have been washed away because of the flood. In such a situation, from where will they furnish the necessary documents for the SIR? Some are on vacation because of the ongoing festive season. How will they furnish the documents?" the Chief Minister had said.
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