30–40 lakh voters may be deleted before 2026 Assam polls: TMC MP Sushmita Dev

Criticising the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar, Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sushmita Dev on Saturday, 26 July, claimed that the same exercise will be carried out in Assam before the next year’s state polls and 30-40 lakh names will be deleted from the voter list.

She questioned the recent crackdown on ‘illegal Bangladeshis’ in the country, alleging that it was being done on the basis of language and Bengalis were being targeted.

"What is happening in Bihar through SIR, the Election Commission will replicate in Assam, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and across all Indian states. The opposition is raising this issue in Parliament every day because the NDA government refuses to allow a debate on it," Dev said at a press conference here.

Claiming that the SIR is ‘unconstitutional and illegal’, Dev said the EC is not authorised to determine citizenship of a person.

"Election Commission cannot question me on my citizenship. It is the job and jurisdiction of the ministry of home affairs," the former Lok Sabha MP from Assam asserted.

Claiming that 65 lakh names are being deleted from the electoral rolls in Bihar through the SIR, Dev said, "When SIR happens in Assam, 30-40 lakh people’s names will be cut off. Be careful of the BJP."

She maintained that the BJP is restoring to such tactics of deleting voters’ names as it has realised its support is fading, including in Assam where it will seek a third straight term next year.

On the ‘crackdown’ on illegal Bangladeshis in different parts of the country, Dev said that Bengali-speaking people are being targeted.

"Only Bengali-speaking people have emerged as the suspects. Mamata Banerjee is saying that verify the documents of the people. She is not saying that illegal Bangladeshis should be kept," Dev said.

The Rajya Sabha MP also questioned the basis of eviction drives in Assam.

"We support encroached land being cleared. But the chief minister here is saying that encroachers are Bangladeshis. Then, where have these people gone after being evicted? These are nothing but election gimmicks," she claimed.

The TMC national spokesperson said opposition unity is important to defeat BJP in the state and urged the Congress to take the initiative in this regard.