TMC Flags SIR ‘Mismanagement’ Before CEO Manoj Agarwal; BLO Suicide Triggers Political Blame Game

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) delegation comprising state minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, minister Aroop Biswas and party MP Partha Bhowmik on Saturday visited office of Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal to inform him about the alleged lack of preparedness and mismanagement in the SIR exercise in the state.

Talking to the media, Chandrima Bhattacharya claimed that there are several ‘errors’ on the website.

“The BLOs are not properly trained and lack preparedness. The time duration is also less. There is a lot of chaos and mismanagement. If the preparations are not done properly then there is no use implementing the procedures. We have mentioned everything in our memorandum,” said Bhattacharya.

Meanwhile, another BLO had committed suicide due to alleged ‘work pressure’ by the poll body.

A 52-year-old Rinku Tarafdar allegedly had committed suicide due to ‘work pressure’ by the poll body and have left a suicide note blaming the election commission.

According to the deceased’s husband, she was in stress for the last few days and also was panic stricken as she didn’t know how to do online data entry.

“I want to live. My family lacks nothing. But for this modest job, they pushed me to such humiliation that I was left with no choice but to die,” (sic) Rinku alleged in her suicide note.

Taking to X, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, “Profoundly shocked to know of the death of yet another BLO, a lady para- teacher, who has committed suicide at Krishnanagar today. BLO of part number 201 of AC 82 Chapra, Smt Rinku Tarafdar, has blamed ECI in her suicide note (copy is attached herewith) before committing suicide at her residence today. How many more lives will be lost? How many more need to die for this SIR? How many more dead bodies shall we see for this process? This has become truly alarming now!!”

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) however mentioned that deaths and tension over SIR is not seen in any other states but in West Bengal.