Trinamool Escalates Assault on BJP Amid Controversy Over ‘SIR Suicide’ in Bengal

On Tuesday, the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, including poll-bound West Bengal.

West Bengal’s political landscape remained tense on Wednesday as the Trinamool Congress and the BJP traded sharp allegations over the suicide of a man near Kolkata and another suicide attempt in Cooch Behar. Both individuals had reportedly panicked due to the ongoing SIR exercise meant to verify voter eligibility.

Trinamool’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee urged people to confront and “tie up” local BJP workers “to trees and poles” if they demanded their parents’ birth certificates. Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari criticised the ruling party for “spreading misinformation about a tragic death for political gain.”

Abhishek made the comments after meeting the family of 57-year-old Pradeep Kar, who allegedly died by suicide in Panihati, North 24 Parganas, on Tuesday. Kar reportedly left behind a note expressing fear related to the SIR process and anxiety over ‘NRC’.

On Tuesday, the Election Commission released the schedule for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in 12 states and Union Territories, including election-bound West Bengal, following its completion of the exercise in Bihar, where more than 45 lakh ineligible voters were removed from the rolls.