BJP accuses CM Mamata of lying on BLO deaths, suicides in Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 22 (IANS) The BJP on Saturday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee of "spreading lies" on the issue of deaths and suicides of booth-level officers (BLOs) in the state. 

Reacting to a social media post by the Chief Minister earlier in the day -- in which she lambasted the Election Commission of India (ECI) following the suicide of Rinku Tarafdar (51), a BLO from Nadia district who allegedly took her life on Saturday morning due to SIR-related work pressure -- BJP's Information Technology Cell Chief and the party's central observer for West Bengal, Amit Malviya, accused Mamata Banerjee of twisting facts and planting fake narratives on BLO deaths.

"You are LYING again - twisting facts, misusing your corrupt and pliable administration to plant fake stories, and shedding crocodile tears for BLOs. Your words carry zero credibility until an independent investigation establishes the truth," Malviya said in a post on X, countering the Chief Minister’s remarks.

He claimed that the people of West Bengal want the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) to be carried out fairly so that the electoral rolls can be cleansed of “infiltrators, duplicates, absentee, ghost and dead voters -- the very categories Trinamool Congress depends on to cling to power.”

Malviya also posed three pointed questions to the Chief Minister.

"Before you dare question the ECI, you owe the people of Bengal some answers. Why haven’t you released the Rs 18,000 payment for BLOs? The proposal has been stuck with your Finance Department for ages. Why are Data Entry Operators not being provided to BLOs? Their workload could have been eased instantly. Even Bihar appointed 1,000 DEOs for four months for a similar exercise. Where were your tears when you denied dearness allowance for years to 8 lakh government employees and pensioners?"

He further alleged that the state administration’s refusal to provide police and post-mortem reports of BLOs who died on duty had deprived families of due compensation.

"And finally, let Bengal know: where were your tears for the countless victims of Saradha, Rose Valley and other chit-fund scams, who lost their lives because your party protected scamsters? The people can see through your theatrics. The truth is out," Malviya added.

--IANS

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