Mamata, ‘SIR-affected’ families meet CEC in Delhi

New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee on Monday met Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar here along with ‘SIR-affected’ families and party leaders.

Last week, CEC Kumar had given time to Banerjee for a meeting on Monday. Banerjee, who reached the national capital on Sunday, was being accompanied by Trinamool MPs Abhishek Banerjee and Kalyan Banerjee, who is also an advocate.

Mamata Banerjee on Monday confronted police personnel deployed outside the Banga Bhawan in Delhi’s Chanakyapuri and alleged harassment of the families affected by the SIR exercise in her state who have been brought to the national capital by the TMC.

Police said security arrangements in the area have been stepped up after the incident.

Addressing reporters, Banerjee said that the people from Bengal had come to raise their issue with the Election Commission, but were being “threatened”. She questioned the heavy police deployment outside the Bhawan’s premises.

However, Banerjee added that she doesn’t blame the police, but “those who are on the top”, referring to Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

The chief minister had reached the national capital on Sunday, a day before her meeting with Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar on the SIR issue.

Around 50 families impacted by the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal have been brought to the national capital and are staying at various properties of the state government, including the Banga Bhawan in Chanakyapuri.

A few of these families were later taken to the meeting at the Election Commission on Monday.