TMC-BJP Clash Over SIR Puts Murshidabad on Boil Again

Berhampore: Fresh violence hit Murshidabad in West Bengal during the special intensive revision (SIR), disrupting the hearing process again. This time, it was over the submissions form 7, which is about claims and objections for voters’ names’ deletion in the SIR.

TMC accused BJP of deleting their voters’ names by submitting the forms as Monday, which was the last date. At Lalbag SDO office, TMC workers vandalized Lalbag BJP president Somen Mondal’s car.

Mr Mondal alleged, "TMC workers, led by their former MLA Sayani Singha Roy, snatched thousands of forms 7 from us and burnt them. We were able to save some forms and took shelter with it inside the SDO office but they stormed there and beat us. The officials fled in fear."

Ms Singha Roy however claimed, "It was a spontaneous outburst of the voters. We only resisted BJP from submitting fake forms 7 at any cost." At Kandi SDO office, TMC workers prevented BJP workers from submitting the same forms for Kandi, Burwan and Bharatpur assembly constituencies.

This led to another clash between the two sides. A female BJP leader, Binita Roy, was found assaulted. Later, the BJP workers regrouped and stormed the Kandi police station, staging a dharna and demanding immediate arrest of the culprits.

At Nowda, TMC workers led by Murshidabad MP Abu Taher Khan and Murshidabad Zila Parishad Shiksha Karmadhyaksha Mohammad Saifuzzaman gheraoed the BDO office and halted the SIR hearing.

They blocked Amtala-Hariharpara State Highway and burnt effigies of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar. Mr Khan claimed, "BJP and EC officials tried hard to delete several genuine voters’ names, filing objections but we will resist it at any cost." Similar scenes prevailed at Berhampore SDO office and Shamshergunge BDO office also.