In a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday linked three deaths – including the alleged suicide of a 95-year-old man on Thursday – to the "tragic consequences" of the BJP's alleged orchestration of the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise, branding it a backdoor attempt to implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The SIR, announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) on October 27, mandates a door-to-door verification of electoral rolls across Bengal ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) are tasked with scrutinising documents to confirm voter eligibility as of January 1, 2026. Acceptable proofs include Aadhaar, birth certificates, passports, and land documents, but the exercise has ignited panic, with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) accusing the BJP of weaponising it to disenfranchise locals and mimic Assam's NRC, which excluded 19 lakh people.
Within 72 hours of the announcement, Bengal has witnessed a heartbreaking toll: three lives shattered by fear of being labeled "outsiders."
October 27: Pradeep Kar
A 57-year-old trader from Panihati, Khardaha in North 24 Parganas, was found hanging in his home. His suicide note starkly read: “NRC is responsible for my death.”
October 28: Khairul Seikh Attempted Suicide in Cooch Behar
A 63-year-old man from Dinhata consumed pesticide, terrified of harassment during SIR scrutiny. His name on voter card was slightly different from the election polling agent list. His name is Khairul but the polling list had one L missing, read as ‘Khairu’ Seikh
October 30: 95-Year-Old Khitish Majumder's Final Act – The Third Death
In a gut-wrenching escalation, 95-year-old Khitish Majumder ended his life at his daughter's home in Ilambazar, Birbhum. Gripped by dread that SIR would strip him and his family of their land, the lifelong resident of Bengal's soil chose death over dispossession.
In a post, Banerjee unleashed: “We are witnessing the tragic consequences of the BJP’s politics of fear, division and hate. Within 72 hours of the Election Commission’s announcement of the SIR exercise in Bengal - An exercise bulldozed through at the BJP’s behest. One avoidable tragedy after another has occurred.” Lamenting Majumder's death, she asked: “Who will answer for these avoidable, politically inflicted tragedies? Will the Home Minister accept responsibility? Will the BJP and its allies... find the courage to speak out?”
“A 95-year-old man, who has given his life to this soil, forced to die to prove he belongs to it. What could be a deeper wound on the nation’s conscience? This is not just tragedy- It is betrayal of humanity itself.”
Mamata Banerjee appealed to people to maintain restrain; “I appeal to every citizen: Do not be provoked, do not lose faith, and do not take any extreme step. Our Maa-Mati-Manush Sarkar stands with you. We will not allow the NRC to be implemented in Bengal - neither through the front door, nor through the back door. We will not permit a single legitimate citizen to be branded an ‘outsider.’”
“Until the last drop of our blood, we will fight to protect the rights of the people and to defeat the BJP and their allies’ nefarious agenda to tear apart the social fabric of our nation.” She further added
BJP leaders dismissed the claims as "TMC drama," insisting SIR is a routine ECI process for clean voter lists. But as BLO visits begin November 4, tensions simmer. Suvendu Adhikari, BJP LoP, called it a drama orchestrated by TMC. “Anyone dies now, and TMC would called them NRC deaths”, he said
