‘Hang BJP leaders if they ask for parents’ birth certificates’: TMC on SIR in Bengal

Kolkata: Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader and Lok Sabha MP Abhishek Banerjee on Wednesday launched a sharp attack on the BJP-led Union government, urging people to “hang local BJP leaders if they ask for their parents’ birth certificates” during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in West Bengal or any possible National Register of Citizens (NRC) exercise.

Banerjee made the remarks after visiting the family of Pradeep Kar (57), who allegedly died by suicide in Panihati, North 24 Parganas, reportedly out of fear linked to the SIR and NRC processes.

Announcing that the TMC would hold a rally in Panihati on Thursday to demand justice for Kar, Banerjee accused Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar of creating panic in the state and demanded criminal action against them.

“Pradeep Kar died due to anxiety over NRC and SIR. An FIR should be filed against Amit Shah and Gyanesh Kumar. Will they themselves be able to produce the documents they are demanding from ordinary citizens?” Banerjee said.

He was accompanied by senior party leaders Partha Bhowmick, Nirmal Ghosh, and Debraj Chakraborty during the visit.

Speaking to reporters later, Banerjee escalated his rhetoric, saying,

“Next time local BJP leaders come to your area, stop them and ask them to show their parents’ birth certificates. Tie them to a tree or lamp post and tell them they won’t be released until they produce their parents’ and grandparents’ documents.”

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However, he added that the Trinamool does not support violence, clarifying,

“Don’t hit them — just tie them up if they ask for your parents’ birth certificates.”

A day earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had accused the BJP of spreading fear and weaponising the NRC under the pretext of conducting the SIR.

With IANS inputs