CEO office asks for report of BLO after Suvendu Adhikari’s complaint
The office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of West Bengal has sought a detailed report regarding allegations that a Trinamool Congress functionary was included in the list of booth-level officers (BLOs) under the Diamond Harbour Assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district. According to sources in the CEO’s office, the report was sought after Leader of the Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly, Suvendu Adhikari, drew the attention of the Election Commission of India (ECI) to the alleged inclusion of ruling party office bearers in the BLO lists. Adhikari cited the case of Diamond Harbour as an example, claiming that the integrity of the electoral process could be compromised if politically affiliated individuals were appointed to such positions. As per information provided by Adhikari, the officer in question, Md. Alauddin Molla, has been named as a BLO in the Diamond Harbour constituency. He alleged that Molla is an area president of the Trinamool Congress and that his wife, Liala Bibi, serves as an elected Trinamool panchayat member from Block No. 2 of Diamond Harbour. Following the complaint, West Bengal CEO Ariz Aftab Agarwal sought a comprehensive report from the District Magistrate of South 24 Parganas, who also serves as the District Election Officer, to verify the allegations and ascertain whether due procedure was followed in Molla’s appointment as a BLO. Adhikari, speaking yesterday, warned that allowing politically linked individuals to function as booth-level officers could open avenues for manipulation of the electoral process. He urged the Election Commission to intervene and ensure neutrality and transparency while appointing field-level electoral personnel. The selection of BLOs in West Bengal has been contentious in recent months. Earlier, allegations surfaced that contractual government employees and para-teachers were being appointed as BLOs, despite the Election Commission’s guideline specifying that only permanent state government employees and regular teachers in state-run schools should be considered for such roles. Concerns have also been raised over the appointment of electoral registration officers (EROs). The ECI mandates that only officers from the West Bengal Civil Service (WBCS) cadre—such as sub-divisional officers, sub-divisional magistrates, or rural development officers—should serve as EROs.
Suvendu Adhikari demands ECI action
Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari today sought attention of the Chief Election Commission of India that the West Bengal ruling party Trinamool Congress was brazenly violating the sanctity of the electoral process as several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) took part in the party meeting of the ruling party in Kharagpur in West Medinipur. “In a shameless display of political favoritism, several Booth Level Officers (BLOs) from the 224 Kharagpur Sadar constituency were spotted openly participating in a TMC party meeting, where they were proudly introduced by none other than TMC’s Paschim Medinipur district leader, Debasish Choudhary (alias Munmun). This is nothing short of a direct assault on the principles of free and fair elections,” Adhikari shared, naming the BLOs, on his X handle. Adhikari giving details of the BLOs said the booth No. 34: Anima Mukherjee, booth No. 35: M. Durga Rani, booth No. 36: Chandana Das Mohanti, booth No. 37: Ramanand Tewari, booth No. 38: Rabindranath, booth No. 39: R. Jyoti Lakshmi, booth No. 40: Dibakar Singh and booth No. 41: Malabika Mandal. The BJP leader alleged these BLOs, all of them school teachers, have been entrusted with the duty of ensuring impartiality at the grassroots level, but instead they were hobnobbing with TMC leaders openly.”How can we expect fair polls when BLOs are publicly aligning with the ruling party, potentially manipulating voter lists, intimidating opposition workers, and tilting the scales in TMC’s favor?,” the Nandigram MLA said. Adhikari demanded the ECI to immediately take cognizance of this violation and initiate stringent action and these BLOs put under suspension and barred from any involvement in the upcoming assembly elections. “These biased Officers must be suspended forthwith and barred from any involvement in the upcoming elections. A thorough investigation is warranted to uncover the full extent of TMC’s infiltration into the electoral machinery. Failure to act decisively will only embolden such corrupt practices and erode public faith in our democratic institutions,” the LoP said.
West Bengal Speaker bans lawmakers from entering assembly with personal security guards
Lawmakers in West Bengal will no longer be allowed to enter the state assembly accompanied by personal security guards, Speaker Biman Banerjee said on Monday, amid a legal dispute over security arrangements for ruling and opposition members. Banerjee said the only exception would be the chief minister’s security detail, noting that they do not carry arms inside the assembly. Similar rules are in place in India’s Lok Sabha and other state legislatures, he added. The decision comes after the Calcutta High Court sought affidavits from Banerjee and Assembly Secretary Sukumar Roy following a petition filed by Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari and BJP legislator Shankar Ghosh. The petitioners argued that while ruling Trinamool Congress lawmakers were allowed to enter with state police personnel, BJP legislators were denied entry with their Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) guards. Justice Shampa Sarkar of the high court questioned the disparity, asking why Trinamool lawmakers were permitted to bring state police into the assembly but BJP members could not be accompanied by central force personnel. Banerjee’s announcement came on the opening day of a special assembly session. He said the new rule would apply equally to all lawmakers regardless of party affiliation. BJP legislators, who typically receive central security, have said their guards are required to remain outside the assembly complex during sessions, housed in temporary camps. Trinamool legislators, by contrast, are protected by state police.
RG Kar protesters lathicharged, victim’s mother says Mamata’s cops assaulted her
Clashes in Kolkata as RG Kar doctor’s parents lead the protest march. Police in Kolkata have clashed with demonstrators during a rally led by the parents of a young doctor who was raped and murdered last year at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The unrest broke out on Saturday when the march, which had been given a designated protest site, diverted towards Park Street in central Kolkata. Protesters attempted to breach police barricades in a bid to reach the West Bengal secretariat, Nabanna. Police used batons and water cannons to disperse the crowd, which included senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders such as Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari. Mr Adhikari alleged that more than 100 people, including BJP legislators and the victim’s parents, were injured. The victim’s mother accused the police of physically assaulting her. “Mamata Banerjee’s police roughed me up without provocation and broke my bangles,” she said. “All we want is to reach the secretariat and seek justice for my daughter.” In January, a CBI court convicted Sanjay Roy, a civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, of the rape and murder of the 31-year-old trainee doctor, whose body was found inside the hospital’s seminar hall in August 2024. A post-mortem report confirmed she had been throttled and smothered. The case sparked widespread protests and led to the resignation of the hospital’s principal. Police imposed prohibitory orders under Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita in areas around Nabanna, and traffic restrictions were enforced on major roads and bridges, including Howrah Bridge. Some protesters attempted to dismantle 10-foot-high barricades in both Kolkata and Howrah, while others scaled them or used blunt tools to break through. BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul and other party workers were seen climbing onto barricades. The Kolkata Police said they had deployed heavy security, including the Rapid Action Force, and placed large containers and multi-layered barricades to prevent marches from reaching sensitive locations. Another rally is planned from Hazra crossing to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s residence in Kalighat.
Bengal’s Opposition Leader Welcomes Court Order in BJP Worker’s Murder Case Linked to Post-Poll Violence
The West Bengal’s Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Friday welcomed a court order sending three former police personnel to judicial custody in connection with the 2021 murder of BJP worker Abhijit Sarkar during alleged post-poll violence in the state. The case, now being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), centers on the killing of Sarkar in Kolkata’s Beleghata area shortly after the state assembly elections. Adhikari said Sarkar was “brutally beaten and strangled to death,” and claimed that even his pet animals were not spared during the attack. “After the 2021 Assembly elections, BJP workers were subjected to brutal post-poll violence across West Bengal,” Adhikari said in a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). “Abhijit Sarkar’s horrific murder is a burning example. Many BJP workers lost their lives, women were assaulted, and thousands were forced to flee their homes—some even took refuge in camps in other states.” A city court on Friday remanded Subhajit Sen, then officer-in-charge of Narkeldanga police station (later promoted to ACP before retirement), sub-inspector Ratna Sarkar, and home guard Dipankar Debnath to judicial custody in connection with the case. During the hearing, the judge remarked, “What happens when protectors become predators?” Adhikari said the CBI probe was moving in the right direction and warned that “no perpetrator of post-poll violence will be spared.” He reiterated the BJP’s commitment to justice for Sarkar and all victims of the violence. “We will continue our fight until every criminal responsible for the post-poll atrocities is brought to justice,” Adhikari added, using the hashtag “#KillerMamata” in a pointed attack on West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
BJP alleges political motive behind move by TMC to hold protest over harassment of Bengalis
KOLKATA, 16 JULY: Leader of Opposition in Bengal assembly Suvendu Adhikari today said that in the name of Bengali sentiment, the ruling Trunmul Congress is trying to gain electoral profit. He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is taking the help from other than Bengali IAS and IPS officers to run the state administration and constantly depriving the Bengal officials to get their proper administrative positions. West Bengal’s ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC) will hold a protest rally in Kolkata on Wednesday over alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in several Indian states, a move the party claims is aimed at protecting Bengali identity. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will lead the rally, with her nephew and party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also expected to participate after a long public absence. The TMC alleges that Bengali-speaking individuals have repeatedly faced discrimination in other Indian states, where they were labelled as “Bangladeshi” and subjected to humiliation. The party said it had raised the issue with the Central government and respective state authorities but received no response, prompting the decision to launch a street protest. However, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) accused the TMC of using the “Bengali identity” issue as a political ploy ahead of upcoming elections. “TMC has suddenly rediscovered Bengali pride only because elections are nearing,” Adhikari wrote in a detailed post on X, formerly Twitter. “This is nothing but a veiled attempt to shield illegal immigrants — including Rohingyas and Bangladeshis — under the guise of protecting Bengalis.” Adhikari further alleged that the state government itself has sidelined senior Bengali officials from top administrative positions. “Why were senior Bengali bureaucrats like Atri Bhattacharya and Subrata Gupta ignored for the Chief Secretary post, and Manoj Panth, a junior, appointed instead? Why was IPS officer Sanjay Mukherjee replaced by Rajeev Kumar, an outsider, as DGP?” he asked. He also questioned the government’s silence on the plight of thousands of qualified Bengali youths who lost teaching jobs due to corruption scandals, saying Mamata Banerjee’s concern for Bengali identity seems selective. “When thousands of genuine Bengali candidates are protesting on the streets after being denied teaching jobs due to scams, the Chief Minister turns a blind eye. But she rushes to defend the rights of people who may be illegal immigrants,” Adhikari wrote. The protest comes amid growing political tension in West Bengal, with the TMC and BJP engaged in a fierce battle over issues of identity, governance, and corruption. The BJP has launched a nationwide drive to identify and deport undocumented immigrants, which TMC leaders claim is targeting Bengali-speaking populations in several states. No immediate response was available from the Union Home Ministry on TMC’s allegations or Adhikari’s claims.
Bengal Opposition Leader Calls Parallel Rally on 21 July TMC Martyrs’ Day, Mamata Dismisses It as “Unimportant”
KOLKATA, India, July 15: Political tensions are escalating in West Bengal as opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced a counter-rally on July 21, the day the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) holds its annual Martyrs’ Day gathering in central Kolkata. Adhikari has also launched a state-wide campaign titled Kanya Suraksha (Girl Child Protection) in response to a recent gang rape allegation involving a law college student in Kolkata’s Kasba area, intensifying political debate over women’s safety in the state. The BJP has announced marches across various districts and a protest march to Uttarkanya, the state government’s administrative outpost in North Bengal, on the same day as the TMC rally. However, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has dismissed the BJP’s counter-programme, calling it insignificant. “It’s not an important issue. There’s no need to pay attention to them,” she told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Monday. Martyrs’ Day, observed annually on July 21, commemorates the killing of 13 TMC supporters during a protest in 1993. The event remains one of the party’s most significant political shows of strength. Banerjee, addressing preparations for the event, instructed ministers and officials to ensure the safe and smooth transport of party workers from across the state to Kolkata. “Our only focus is to honour the martyrs and ensure a peaceful and successful event,” Banerjee said. She directed police and administrative officials to ensure security, accommodation, and transportation logistics are carefully managed for party workers traveling to the capital. During the cabinet meeting, Banerjee also expressed concern over reports of Bengalis facing harassment in other Indian states for speaking their mother tongue. “It’s unacceptable that someone is attacked just for speaking Bengali,” she said. The Chief Minister asked her ministers to organise protests at the local level and raise awareness on linguistic and cultural respect. “Nearly 15 million people from other states live peacefully in West Bengal, and we have always welcomed them with dignity,” Banerjee said. “But over 2.2 million Bengalis working in other parts of India are facing discrimination. This cannot continue.” Officials believe the government may be preparing a larger campaign to protest these incidents, not just through administrative channels but also via cultural and social platforms aimed at protecting Bengali language and identity.
India’s BJP Leader Suvendu Adhikari Sparks Row with Call for Hindus to “Prepare Weapons”
KOLKATA, July 14: Suvendu Adhikari, Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, triggered a political firestorm on Monday after urging Hindus to “prepare weapons” during a protest rally in Khejuri, in the state’s East Midnapore district. The comments have drawn sharp criticism and are expected to intensify political tensions in the state ahead of the 2026 assembly elections. Leading a BJP-organized protest march from Janaka to Vidyapith, Adhikari accused the state police of protecting members of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC), particularly from a “special community,” while allegedly framing Hindus in false cases. Referring to recent deaths of two BJP workers in Khejuri—Sujit Das and Sudhirchandra Paik—Adhikari alleged they were “killed in a planned manner” and promised legal support to their families. Addressing the crowd, Adhikari said: “Hindus must prepare bamboo sticks soaked in oil… More such sticks must be made. Unite the Hindus.” He accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and her party’s “nephew gang” of orchestrating a narrative to shield “their peace-loving boys” while allegedly suppressing Hindus. The remarks came during a bandh (shutdown) called by the BJP in protest over the deaths. Adhikari also handed over financial aid to the bereaved families and assured them of full legal assistance. Ratcheting up political rhetoric, the BJP leader challenged the TMC’s dominance in East Midnapore, stating, “The more you jail the people of Nandigram and Khejuri, the more united they will become. In 2021, East Midnapore gave 44% votes to Narendra Modi. In 2026, we will give him all 16 assembly seats.” In a controversial statement, Adhikari further suggested that “Hindus could be killed by TMC’s minority supporters in the days to come,” hinting at potential communal polarization. The remarks have sparked backlash from political opponents and civil society groups, who accused Adhikari of promoting communal unrest. The TMC has yet to issue an official response, but sources within the party condemned the speech as “provocative and dangerous.” West Bengal has witnessed frequent political clashes between BJP and TMC supporters, particularly in rural areas like East Midnapore, where both parties are competing for influence ahead of crucial electoral contests.
