People will not forgive 'Vanish Kumar': Mamata takes swipe at CEC, questions poll panel immunity law

Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said the people of India would not forgive those responsible for taking away their voting rights, questioning the immunity granted to the chief election commissioner and election commissioners under a 2023 law.

Referring to CEC Gyanesh Kumar as "Vanish Kumar" , Banerjee said, "He made people's rights vanish. How can I forgive him? Who am I? It is the people of India who will not forgive him."

Addressing a press conference in New Delhi, she said the TMC had opposed the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll in West Bengal right from the beginning and alleged that the exercise was centralised by the Election Commission (EC).

"We went to the court but did not get justice. We went to the EC with 100 victims. They insulted us," she said, alleging that the TMC MPs who went to meet the CEC were told to "get lost".

The former West Bengal chief minister questioned the immunity provision under the Chief Election Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of Service and Term of Office) Act, 2023 , which provides protection from civil or criminal proceedings for acts done in the discharge or purported discharge of official duties.

"If somebody is in charge of taking care of the election process and democracy, as per the Constitution and the obligations of democracy, then no issue. We respect that. But if somebody, because of immunity, is sitting in a chair...," she said.

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The 2023 law provides protection to a serving or former CEC or EC from civil or criminal proceedings for an act, thing or word committed, done or spoken in the course of acting or purporting to act in the discharge of official duty or function.

On voter deletions during the SIR, Banerjee claimed that the exercise disproportionately affected constituencies and areas won by the TMC in the West Bengal Assembly polls held earlier in the year.

"Wherever we won, four times more voters were cut," she said.

The TMC chief also alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had "masterminded" incidents involving the burning of around 4,000 electronic voting machines (EVMs) in West Bengal.

She further alleged that the TMC and its workers are facing restrictions and harassment in West Bengal.

"I am not allowed to move out of my house without a court order. Our party is not allowed to hold meetings. Cases have been registered against our workers. Even at my residence, there is no security, nothing.

"Every day, 200-300 hooligans are coming, shouting and doing hooliganism in front of my house. Now, after 8 pm, no one is on the road," Banerjee said.

(With inputs from PTI)

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