– Shabana Javed
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday urged people to uphold unity and safeguard democratic rights, asserting that she rejects any form of “divide and rule” politics. She made the remarks while inaugurating a programme at Posta Bazar.
Her comments came a day after the state began the Special Intensified Revision (SIR) of the voter list, a process that has already stirred political debate across West Bengal.
“We celebrate every festival. Religion belongs to all, and festivals belong to everyone. I only want one thing: may our country, our Bengal, and our people be well. I don’t want divide and rule,” Mamata said.
Referring to the ongoing voter list revision, the Chief Minister added, “May all genuine voters be well. The pillars of democracy must remain strong. Everyone’s democratic rights should be protected, and every citizen should be able to exercise their own rights.”
Invoking national icons like Mahatma Gandhi, Rabindranath Tagore, Kazi Nazrul Islam, and Sardar Patel, Mamata emphasised unity as the foundation of strength. “Humanity is the greatest religion. Our fist is strong because all five fingers are united. Black and white, good and bad exist everywhere but the fist must not be divided,” she said, recalling the teachings of Ramakrishna Dev and Swami Vivekananda.
The remarks come as West Bengal gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections. With the SIR process underway, tensions are rising between political parties. An elderly man in Panihati reportedly committed suicide over fears related to NRC, as mentioned in his note, according to police sources.
Trinamool Congress general secretary Abhishek Banerjee has accused the BJP and the Centre of creating panic through the voter list revision. The BJP, on the other hand, maintains that the SIR aims only to remove names of illegal infiltrators and will not affect genuine voters. The party has alleged that Trinamool is “spreading unnecessary fear” among the public.
