Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, on Saturday alleged that supporters of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) engaged in hooliganism at a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) hearing centre in North 24 Parganas district. He claimed the incident reflected a deliberate breakdown of law and order during the ongoing voter list revision process.
In a social media post, the BJP leader alleged that “lumpen elements” associated with the TMC created chaos inside the Baduria block development office. According to Adhikari, miscreants vandalised the premises, intimidated officials and disrupted the hearing, drawing parallels with similar incidents previously reported in Farakka and Chakulia.
Adhikari further claimed that the state government had knowingly withdrawn police personnel from the hearing centre, allowing the alleged unrest to take place. He accused the ruling party of attempting to manipulate the voter list and shield what he described as “illegal voters” from administrative scrutiny.
Also Read: POCSO Accused in Handcuffs Appears at Voter List Hearing in Bengal
The BJP leader also shared a video purportedly showing a group of agitated individuals misbehaving with staff at the BDO office, while officials were seen trying to calm the situation. However, PTI said it could not independently verify the authenticity of the footage. Saturday was the final scheduled day of the SIR hearings, unless extended by authorities.
Responding to the allegations, the TMC denied any involvement of its workers in the incident. Party spokesperson Debangshu Bhattacharya said the disturbance was an expression of public frustration over what he described as harassment during the voter revision exercise and alleged attempts by the BJP to remove valid voters from the electoral rolls.
The incident has once again brought the politically sensitive voter list revision process in West Bengal under scrutiny. With both sides trading charges, officials are expected to review the situation as the SIR hearings near their conclusion amid heightened political tensions.
Also Read: EC Struggles To Meet SC Deadline On 1.26 Crore Voter List In Bengal