Kolkata, May 29: Sukendu Shekhar Roy, a Member of Parliament from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), criticized the removal of names from the voter list in West Bengal, calling it a mistake. He stated that some legitimate voters were inadvertently excluded, but following a recent Supreme Court ruling, there is no risk of losing citizenship.
In an interview with a news agency, Roy acknowledged, “It is true that some genuine names were removed from the voter list. No resolution has come in their favor, and they have not received relief.” He emphasized that the government has clarified that, according to the Supreme Court’s latest opinion, there is no fear of losing citizenship. Certain formalities may need to be completed to maintain their citizenship.
Addressing the issue of infiltration, Roy pointed out that it primarily originates from Bangladesh, with some Rohingya coming from Myanmar. He questioned the relevance of religion in this context, asserting that the infiltration is from Bangladesh, not Pakistan.
Regarding the TMC’s defeat in the assembly elections, Roy listed several reasons. He remarked, “A significant message came from the common people. If we ignore the warning given by the public, the outcome is naturally what occurred. Our concerns about the voter list were valid, but we failed to provide relief to the common people. We approached the court, but even there, we found no relief.”
He further stated, “The party should have reflected on this. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, we won 29 seats, so what transpired in two years that the public became so discontented that they removed us from power? Had we taken the right steps considering that warning, perhaps we wouldn’t be facing this situation today.”
Roy also mentioned the deployment of central forces, saying, “When people saw that 250,000 central forces were being deployed, they felt their right to vote would be restored.”
On the issue of corruption, Roy admitted to serious flaws within the party. He noted, “Corruption exists in politics, but when we institutionalized it, corruption became rampant at every level, from the grassroots to the highest echelons. We had no political agenda left, as we did not allow the opposition to thrive.”
He acknowledged that political activists wanted to advance the party’s agenda, but corruption and middlemen deteriorated the environment. He cited the example of thousands gathering to return to Bangladesh, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Roy concluded by praising the new government under Suvendu Adhikari, stating, “The work done and steps taken so far have made the public very happy. The government is moving in the right direction. This is how a government should operate. Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari is very hardworking. I have rarely encountered a leader as diligent as him.”
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