New Delhi, Nov 21 (NationPress) Images depicting clusters of individuals, including men, women, and children, gathered at the border gates of West Bengal, coupled with claims of their desire to return to Bangladesh during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the state's voter list, spell trouble for the ruling Trinamool Congress party just months ahead of the elections.

In light of these developments, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has urged the Election Commission to halt the SIR process, which is also being conducted in 11 other states and Union Territories. This plea has prompted a fierce response from Home Minister Amit Shah, who accused certain political factions of attempting to protect infiltrators by opposing the verification of voters.

In a recent address in Gujarat, Shah emphasized the urgency of curbing infiltration, highlighting the risks it poses to India’s demographic integrity and democratic principles.

The West Bengal unit of the principal opposition party, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), views this situation as a vindication of their long-standing concerns. Reports from the border indicate not only the presence of Bangladeshis but also alleged Rohingyas from Myanmar, many of whom are reportedly attempting to return to their places of origin.

These visuals are emerging as a significant psychological and strategic element in the lead-up to the 2026 West Bengal Assembly elections. For an extended period, the state government and Trinamool leaders have either dismissed or overlooked allegations regarding a substantial influx of undocumented migrants from Bangladesh.

Some of these individuals are purportedly Rohingyas fleeing ongoing conflict in Myanmar's Rakhine State, who reportedly cross into Bangladesh’s Chittagong before continuing their journey westward towards India. These visuals are likely to intensify political division and frame the electoral discourse around competing narratives.

Historically, the Trinamool Congress has enjoyed several advantages, including the identification of electors from other states with matching identity card numbers and leveraging Bengali identity to incite language-related debates.

Earlier this year, Mamata raised concerns about voters with similar Electors Photo Identity Card (EPIC) numbers, accusing the BJP of colluding with the Election Commission to manipulate the West Bengal Assembly elections through fraudulent voting. Similar accusations have been directed at Maharashtra and Delhi.

The electoral body clarified that having identical EPIC numbers does not indicate duplicate or fraudulent voting, as these belong to different states.

Furthermore, when footage emerged showing Bengali-speaking laborers being detained in BJP-governed states like Odisha and Delhi, or villagers in distress scrambling for documentation, the Trinamool framed these incidents as attacks on Bengali speakers. This strategy enabled Mamata to argue that BJP leaders, as 'outsiders,' cannot differentiate between Indian Bengalis and Bangladeshis.

By focusing on linguistic identity rather than religious affiliation, she has attempted to fracture the Bengali Hindu vote that may otherwise shift toward the BJP, thereby managing the migrant issue through technicalities and appeals to regional pride.

Despite numerous claims and media reports, no definitive evidence has been presented to substantiate the influx of these migrants or their inclusion in the voter list.

Currently, media reports include statements from those gathered at the borders, asserting that they have voted in elections and accessed official benefits such as financial aid and healthcare schemes. Many have displayed their Aadhaar and ration cards for the cameras.

BJP lawmaker Samik Bhattacharya has consistently asserted that undocumented immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar residing in West Bengal constitute a threat to internal security and claims to have reported this concern to the state police multiple times.

During intense debates with Trinamool representatives in the Rajya Sabha, Bhattacharya has expressed confidence in substantiating his allegations. This straightforward process of electoral list revision has led to the discovery of immigrants who have enjoyed citizenship status for many years.