Is Trinamool Congress Uniting Opposition Against SIR?

Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Trinamool Congress is actively uniting opposition allies.
- The Special Intensive Review poses challenges for electoral integrity.
- Concerns over voter list management are significant.
- The Pahalgam terrorist incident raises national security questions.
- Use of Pegasus software is controversial in the current context.
Kolkata, July 20 (NationPress) The Trinamool Congress is making significant strides to consolidate the opposition coalition known as INDIA against the Special Intensive Review (SIR) initiated by the Election Commission of India (ECI). This review commenced in Bihar and is set to occur in West Bengal shortly.
During a virtual meeting with all allies of the INDIA bloc on Saturday, Trinamool Congress General Secretary and Lok Sabha member Abhishek Banerjee emphasized these efforts, as per sources from the party.
In his speech, Banerjee highlighted that 40 lakh voters were added between the upcoming 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the Maharashtra Assembly elections, contributing to the BJP’s electoral success.
He expressed concerns that after employing similar tactics in Bihar, the next focus will be West Bengal, where Assembly elections are approaching next year. He pointed out a coordinated effort to remove legitimate voters' names from the electoral rolls in West Bengal. He stressed the need for unity among the INDIA bloc allies to form a robust opposition to the special intensive review.
Additionally, Banerjee urged all allies to voice concerns regarding the recent Pahalgam incident, where tourists were tragically killed by terrorists. He questioned why the Union government extended the tenure of the Director of the Intelligence Bureau despite the evident intelligence failure.
He also highlighted the necessity for opposition allies to ask in Parliament why Indians relied on US President Donald Trump’s social media for updates on India-Pakistan tensions following the Pahalgam incident.
Moreover, he called attention to the usage of Pegasus software against the opposition, arguing it could have been more effectively utilized to combat terrorism.