Mamata urges Delhi Police at Banga Bhawan to show ‘sensitivity’ to SIR-affected families

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday confronted Delhi Police personnel outside Banga Bhawan in the national capital, urging them to show “sensitivity” towards families affected by the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in the state.

Banerjee, who arrived in Delhi on Sunday, visited Banga Bhawan — an official West Bengal government guest house — where several SIR-affected families are staying. The premises witnessed heavy security deployment, which the chief minister questioned.

Speaking to reporters, Banerjee said she was in Delhi to seek justice for the affected families and not to stage a protest. “We have a case pending in the Supreme Court and an official meeting with the Election Commission. People have died — can their families not speak to the media?” she asked.

The chief minister directly addressed the security personnel, asking them not to harass the families. “People from Bengal are being threatened at Banga Bhawan. We are here with official appointments,” she said.

Banerjee is scheduled to meet chief election commissioner Gyanesh Kumar later in the day over the SIR issue. She also criticised the extensive police presence, questioning its priorities. “Where is the Delhi Police when blasts happen in Delhi?” she asked, while clarifying that her criticism was aimed at those “at the top”, not the police personnel on the ground.

Alleging that the SIR process was being used to target Bengal, Banerjee said the authorities were “torturing common people in the name of SIR” and accused them of incompetence. She claimed Delhi had become “like a zamindari” with little space for the poor.

Reiterating that she was not in Delhi for agitation, Banerjee said, “If I had come to protest, you would have lost your mind. We are here for justice.”

The West Bengal chief minister has also moved the Supreme Court challenging the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in the state.

With PTI inputs