“Cat Out of the Bag”: Mamata Banerjee Slams Election Commission Over BJP Stamp Controversy
IIE DIGITAL DESK : Kolkata, March 24 — West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India after a controversy erupted over an alleged Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stamp appearing on an official notification. The incident has sparked a fresh political storm, with the Trinamool Congress accusing the poll body of bias.
Holding up a copy of the notification while speaking at the airport before departing for a campaign tour in North Bengal, Banerjee remarked that the “cat is out of the bag,” suggesting that the alleged presence of the BJP stamp exposed what she described as the Commission’s partiality. She questioned why such actions were being carried out “through the backdoor” instead of openly.
The Chief Minister reiterated her long-standing allegation that the Election Commission has been functioning under the influence of the Bharatiya Janata Party. The ruling All India Trinamool Congress has, on multiple occasions, accused the poll body of acting in favour of the BJP, and the latest controversy has further intensified those claims.
The issue gained traction after an image surfaced showing what appeared to be a BJP stamp on an official Election Commission document, triggering widespread speculation and debate within political circles. The Commission has dismissed the matter as a “clerical error,” attempting to downplay the controversy.
Banerjee also used the occasion to voice strong opposition to the removal of names from voter lists, expressing concern over alleged irregularities in the electoral roll revision process. She criticized delays in publishing the supplementary voter list and claimed that several names were restored only after legal intervention initiated by her party.
Calling the situation alarming, the Chief Minister urged all opposition parties to unite and protest against what she described as the “authoritarian functioning” of the BJP-led government at the Centre.
The controversy has added a new dimension to the already heated political climate in West Bengal, particularly ahead of upcoming elections, with both sides trading accusations over the integrity and neutrality of the electoral process.
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