West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the BJP led union governmnet after a 57-year-old man from North 24 Parganas district died by suicide, allegedly distressed over the National Register of Citizens (NRC). This comes a day after Chief Election Commissioner Gynesh Kumar announced the second installment of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) across 12 states and union territories, including Bengal.
Taking to social media platform “X”, Mamata Banerjee accused the BJP of “spreading lies, panic, and insecurity” among citizens in the name of the NRC. “For years, the BJP has tormented innocent people with the threat of NRC, turning a constitutional democracy into a draconian regime where citizens are made to doubt their right to exist,” said Banerjee.
Calling the death of the Bengal man “the most tragic indictment of BJP’s politics of fear and division,” Banerjee said the Centre’s “venomous propaganda” had pushed ordinary Indians to such despair that they were dying in their own country, fearing they might be declared foreigners. “Bengal will never allow NRC or anyone to strip our people of their dignity and belonging. Our land belongs to Maa, Mati, Manush, not to those who thrive on hate. Let the Delhi Zamindars hear this loud and clear: Bengal will resist, Bengal will protect and Bengal will prevail,” she asserted.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee also reacted sharply, holding Union Home Minister Amit Shah and senior official Gyanesh Kumar accountable for the tragedy. “How much more blood will you spill, Gyanesh Kumar? People are dying out of fear. The man blamed NRC and SIR in his suicide note… An FIR should be lodged against them,” Abhishek said, warning that “the political response to this death will come through the ballot.”
The deceased, identified as Pradeep Kar, was a resident of Mahajati Nagar in Agarpara under Khardah municipality. He was found hanging inside his home on Tuesday morning. Local residents informed the police, who arrived at the spot and sent the body for post-mortem examination.
According to police officials, a diary recovered from the scene contained several references to the NRC. On the final page, Kar had written, “NRC is responsible for my death.” Barrackpore Police Commissioner Murlidhar Sharma confirmed the discovery of the note, adding that the family had said Pradeep had been anxious in recent days after the announcement of the SIR on Monday. “His family told us he seemed restless and withdrawn, but they assumed he was unwell. He had dinner as usual and went to bed, but did not respond the next morning,” Sharma said. A detailed investigation is underway.
