Abhishek Banerjee attacks BJP for recycling old EC notice to ‘glorify’ SIR

TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Saturday unleashed a scathing critique of the BJP, accusing the ruling party of resorting to its “propaganda machinery” to recycle a four-month-old Election Commission (EC) notification in a bid to falsely glorify the poll body amid mounting controversies surrounding the ongoing SIR exercise.

Banerjee, citing a media report that claimed the EC had doubled remunerations for booth-level officers (from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000) and BLO supervisors (from Rs 12,000 to Rs 18,000), tagged the original notice, revealing it was issued on 2 August, months before the BJP’s sudden display of enthusiasm.

“When the BJP’s propaganda ecosystem starts dusting off four-month-old notifications to whip up fake excitement and glorify the EC, it exposes a single, undeniable truth: Mr. SIR’s strategy hasn’t just failed — it has COLLAPSED in full public view,” Banerjee wrote on X, his words ringing with defiance.

The Diamond Harbour MP, widely regarded as the de facto No. 2 in TMC, did not stop at criticism. He delivered a forceful message of confidence, asserting that even with every instrument of power at its disposal — the Union government machinery, EC, ED, CBI, IT probes, Central Forces, compliant media, and even “convenient pockets of the judiciary” — the BJP remains acutely aware that Bengal will triumph once again, returning with a mandate even larger than 2021.

In a bold challenge, Banerjee directly addressed BJP leaders, asking, “Do you dare accept my challenge, or will you continue hiding behind stale propaganda and the weight of state power?”

With rhetoric as sharp as it is defiant, Banerjee’s remarks underscore the fierce political battle now engulfing West Bengal, where every move is scrutinised and every narrative fiercely contested.

With PTI inputs