- 15 hours ago
In West Bengal's Malda, a protest over water deletions during voter list revisions spiralled into a major law and order crisis. Angry crowds blocked National Highway 12, and seven judicial officers were held hostage for hours.
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00:01Good evening, you're watching To The Point. I'm Freeti Chaudhary.
00:03Let's shift the focus to poll-bound West Bengal.
00:06And there's enough happening there to raise the rhetoric and the question once again,
00:11could there be, could there be, President's Rule where West Bengal is concerned?
00:16In Malda, a protest over voter deletion spiraled into a major flashpoint.
00:21Highways blocked, judicial officers held hostage.
00:24As the top court, the Supreme Court, wrapped the Mamata Banuji government
00:28and political tempers flared, the battle for Bengal is turning volatile.
00:45In West Bengal, the election drumbeat is getting louder.
00:49But so is the confrontation on the ground, with politics spilling out of rallies onto the streets.
00:56In Malda, what began as a protest against voter deletions in SIR
01:00quickly spiraled into a law and order flashpoint on Wednesday.
01:05Angry crowds blocked National Highway 12.
01:08And in a dramatic escalation, seven judicial officers were garoud for hours.
01:14The row also reached the apex court.
01:17The Supreme Court came down heavily on the Mamata Banuji government.
01:20Calling the Malda incident pre-planned, a calculative and motivated move to derail SIR process
01:27and a bid to demoralize judicial officers, the court flagged complete abdication of duty
01:33by state officers and criminal failure of administration, as there was no timely response, despite alerts.
01:40The court directed the Election Commission to deploy central forces to ensure safety of judicial officers
01:46and to deploy forces at residents of officers, too.
01:49The Chief Justice of India also observed that West Bengal is the most polarized state.
01:55The BJP went on the offensive.
01:57Due to the
02:27Banerjee hit back, blaming the centre.
02:58Fresh violence erupted in Malda on Thursday.
03:01Police moved in to clear an NH-12 blockade.
03:05A police driver was injured.
03:08Malda was among the worst hit in terms of voter list revisions.
03:128.2 lakh voters were under scrutiny.
03:15That was over 50% of the district's electorate.
03:20Meanwhile, political battle peaked in Bhabanipur, Mamata's bastion.
03:24Subhendu Adhikari filed his nomination.
03:27Amit Shah led a mega roadshow.
03:31And once again, the streets turned into battlegrounds.
03:34Slogan versus slogan.
03:36Flag versus flag.
03:38High drama unfolded outside the chief minister's residence.
03:41You can see the BJP roadshow has just reached the chief minister's residence and BJP workers
03:48are shouting slogans against Trinamul Congress.
03:51On the other hand, Trinamul Congress supporters who were already here since morning waiting
03:56for the BJP roadshow to come here.
03:59So there is slogan war that's going on right now with the police, the Kolkata police officials
04:04trying to form a human chain.
04:06Home Minister Amit Shah came out, got off the rut that he was travelling.
04:11He did not, the security personnel did not take the risk of taking him all through this area.
04:17From blacks under scrutiny to officers held hostage.
04:21From courtroom censure to street clashes.
04:24In Bengal, this election is no longer just about votes.
04:28It is also about who gets to cast them.
04:33Bureau Report, India Today.
04:35Bureau Report, India Today.
05:04is for your party because that is what a lot of sources within your party would also have
05:10us believe.
05:14That's an internal part of the party.
05:17It's a committee which has been set up to manage the elections and others.
05:22I wrote to the Honorable Congress President because of the parliament work and the session
05:30work, I could not concentrate on that work.
05:33and then I have to go to my parliament seats.
05:37I have to go and take that work.
05:39Therefore, I had asked the Honorable Congress President
05:42to relieve me of that work.
05:44My work is centrally on my district
05:46and my six seats where I had been in charge,
05:49where I represent as parliament seat from Virudinagar.
05:53There are six assembly segments.
05:54I look after that seat.
05:56And therefore, the secular democratic alliance,
06:01the progressive alliance will win all the seats.
06:04And for that, we will all work together.
06:06And because the time is very short,
06:09as parliament session took all of our time here in parliament.
06:12So, Mr. Tagore, you are basically confirming that,
06:15yes, you have quit as the chief of your party's poll panel
06:18days before election,
06:20because in the afternoon you had said,
06:21who told you that?
06:22Because you hadn't quit.
06:23But it seems you're confirming that news to us.
06:26You're no longer the poll panel chief of Congress,
06:28where Tamil Nadu is concerned, correct?
06:29No, no, there's a poll election management committee.
06:34It has been a small group has been appointed
06:37who has to look after in the state level and others.
06:39Therefore, I had volunteered to the Honorable Congress President
06:43that as I have to,
06:45my work in parliament has been long
06:47and I'm not able to give that time in Chennai.
06:51And as there is only very few days left
06:54of the assembly elections,
06:56I wanted to confine myself with my Lok Sabha.
07:00That's the thing I told to Congress President
07:01for five days before.
07:03But somewhere it has leaked out
07:05and it has become a news that is,
07:07in the parliament I was,
07:08because of the CAP bill and others,
07:11I could not clarify about it.
07:13And I'm very clear that
07:15this secular progressive alliance
07:17will have a landslide victory in Tamil Nadu.
07:19Mr. Tugor, you're being politically correct,
07:22but speculations will have us believe
07:25that as the poll panel chief,
07:26you had two demands
07:27for the benefit of your own party.
07:30Your number one demand was
07:31that your party get 40 to 45 seats
07:34and your second demand was
07:35that you be part of power sharing
07:37in whatever capacity,
07:38not just plum postings
07:39or plum cabinets.
07:40And those demands were not met
07:42and therefore,
07:44that's the reason why you have quit.
07:47No, the thing is that
07:49before the alliance being finalized,
07:52we can have conversations inside the party.
07:56These are all things
07:57which is before 1st of March.
08:01Whatever we had been,
08:03whatever those things are there,
08:05because 1st of March,
08:06the alliance with DMK has been finalized
08:08and Congress leadership,
08:10Congress President
08:11and Congress leadership
08:11has cleared that alliance.
08:13Therefore,
08:14that demands of others
08:15as advised by Honorable Congress Presidents
08:18has been put rest
08:19and we had formed up the alliance
08:21and whenever we have
08:23an alliance relationship,
08:24there are demands,
08:25there are meaningful understanding
08:28when we are going for negotiations.
08:31Therefore, we have negotiated.
08:32It is a one month old now story.
08:34March 1st,
08:35we had an alliance sealed.
08:37So you're saying that's a old story?
08:38You had these demands,
08:39but that was before the negotiations.
08:41But, you know,
08:42Mr. Tagore,
08:43I'll ask you one quick question.
08:44You're being very, very honest.
08:45The sheer fact
08:46that you're saying
08:47you have done it
08:48to concentrate on the elections,
08:50but you're not the only
08:52Congress leader
08:52from Tamil Nadu
08:54that seemed to be unhappy.
08:55You're saying you're not unhappy,
08:56but you have Ms. Jyoti Mani
08:58who has openly expressed
09:00her anguish
09:01in the manner in which
09:02seats have been allocated
09:04within the Congress.
09:05So there is anger
09:06where the Congress,
09:07local Tamil Nadu unit
09:09is concerned, sir.
09:12No, I can,
09:13we can,
09:14because our demands
09:15has been,
09:16we demand,
09:17we wanted to expand
09:19our party
09:20and we wanted to
09:23increase our number
09:24of seats and others
09:25that we,
09:26in any negotiations
09:27that happened,
09:28but when we are fighting
09:29against the election,
09:30closer to the election,
09:31we have to come to
09:32some kind of conclusion
09:34and when leadership
09:35of the Congress party,
09:36when Congress president
09:37has decided,
09:38we all have to accept it
09:40as disciplined soldiers,
09:41we have to accept it
09:42and move on.
09:43And because the fight
09:44is not among ourselves,
09:46the fight is between us
09:48and the ideology
09:49which we opposes nationally
09:50as well as industry,
09:52that national ideological part
09:55which BJP and others
09:56are part of it
09:57is ready to capture
09:58through the ADMK.
10:00Our fight is a larger
10:01battle,
10:02therefore we feel that
10:03those kind of differences
10:05has to be settled
10:06and we have to fight together
10:07to win the elections
10:09in 2026
10:10which is going to be
10:11on April 23rd
10:12in Tamil Nadu.
10:13All right, sir.
10:14Well, thank you
10:15for being so honest.
10:16I wish you good luck.
10:16Thank you for taking
10:17the time out
10:18and joining us this evening.
10:19So, Manikam Tagore,
10:19very clear that he is
10:21to abide by the party
10:22and though he has quit
10:24as the Congress poll panel chief
10:26where his party
10:28is concerned in Tamil Nadu.
10:29I want to cut across
10:30to our guests.
10:30I duly apologize
10:31to both Sanju Verma,
10:32national spokesperson,
10:34BJP,
10:34and Niladuri Bhattacharya,
10:36political analyst,
10:37and Shikha Mukherjee.
10:38Apologies to all three of you.
10:39Sometimes you get
10:39breaking news coming in
10:40and a confirmation
10:41of someone stepping down.
10:43We have to take them on.
10:44I want to begin
10:45with Sanju Verma.
10:46Sanju Verma,
10:47many are saying that
10:47basically ground
10:48is being set
10:49for President's rule
10:50in West Bengal.
10:53You know,
10:54Preeti,
10:55first and foremost,
10:55let me say one thing
10:56very categorically.
10:57The Supreme Court
10:58has castigated
11:00Mantha Banerjee
11:00and TMC
11:01in no uncertain terms.
11:03Anybody who says,
11:04oh,
11:04after the Model Code
11:05of Conduct
11:06is in place,
11:07Mantha Banerjee
11:07ceases to have passed,
11:09that is absolute
11:10balderdash.
11:11Under Article 324,
11:12325,
11:13and 326
11:14of the Constitution,
11:15under Section 21
11:16of the Representation
11:17of People's Act
11:181950-51,
11:19the Chief Election
11:20Commission
11:21and its team
11:22only has to ensure
11:23free and fair elections.
11:25But law and order
11:26continues to be
11:27a state subject
11:27under the 7th schedule
11:28of the Constitution.
11:30Who's the Chief Minister
11:30of West Bengal
11:31even now as we speak?
11:33Mantha Banerjee.
11:33Who's the de facto
11:34Home Minister
11:35of West Bengal?
11:36Mantha Banerjee.
11:37The Supreme Court
11:38has used these words
11:39for Mantha Banerjee
11:40and the TMC.
11:41Derelection of duty,
11:43abdication of
11:43constitutional responsibility,
11:45a pre-planned
11:46and calculated
11:47and motivated attack.
11:48Can you imagine,
11:49Preeti?
11:50Forget about which party
11:51who belongs to.
11:52Seven judicial officers,
11:54including three women,
11:56locked up,
11:57held hostage,
11:57and when they finally
11:59were released,
12:00their cars were
12:00pelted with stones,
12:02they were attacked
12:02by a bloodthirsty mob,
12:04and Mantha Banerjee
12:05has the same attitude
12:07which she has
12:08each time the CBI
12:09is attacked
12:09or BASF is attacked
12:10or NIA officials
12:12go to Bengal
12:12and they are attacked.
12:14I'm not responsible.
12:15It's not true.
12:16What do I do?
12:17Chief Secretary
12:19change hoi ga chhe,
12:20Home Secretary
12:21change hoi ga chhe,
12:22DGP change hoi ga chhe,
12:24Police Commissioner
12:25change hoi ga chhe.
12:26Yes,
12:27all these people
12:28have been changed
12:29but Mantha Banerjee,
12:30just as MK Stalin
12:31continues to be
12:32the Chief Minister
12:32of Tamil Nadu,
12:34Himanta Biswa
12:34continues to be
12:35the Chief Minister
12:36of Assam
12:38and Rangasami
12:39continues to be
12:40the Chief Minister
12:40of Pudicherry
12:41and Pinaray Vijayan
12:42of Kerala,
12:42you continue to be
12:43the Chief Minister
12:44of West Bengal
12:45and the Supreme Court
12:47has actually asked
12:48for deployment
12:49of Central Armed Forces.
12:51The Supreme Court
12:52has said
12:52that on the request
12:53of the Election Commission,
12:55a CIA,
12:56a CBI,
12:57pardon me,
12:58and an NIA probe
12:59is a must
13:00because Mantha Banerjee
13:01has failed
13:01the people of...
13:02I want to cut across
13:03to the TNC spokesperson
13:04on this.
13:06Mr. Bhattacharji,
13:07the fact is
13:08with the law and order
13:09situation right now,
13:10now this is not
13:11the Election Commission
13:12saying what it is
13:13who you already
13:14say is compromised.
13:16This is coming in
13:17from the top court
13:18of the country,
13:19which to many
13:20would be a case fit
13:21for bringing in
13:22Central Forces.
13:25See, anyhow,
13:26Central Forces
13:26are there
13:27in much more
13:28larger quantities
13:29than what is in there
13:30in other states.
13:32But let me clarify,
13:34the Supreme Court
13:35coming down,
13:35the Supreme Court
13:36has not come down
13:37on Mantha Banerjee.
13:38The Supreme Court
13:39has shown first
13:39the DGP,
13:40the Home Secretary,
13:41the DM,
13:42and the SP.
13:43Please understand,
13:45all these officers
13:45starting from
13:46the Chief Secretary
13:47till the simple
13:49SHO of a police station
13:51and the sub-inspector
13:52of a police station
13:53has been changed
13:54in Bengal.
13:55This is not a thing
13:56which was
13:58not understood.
13:59understand,
14:00please see Mamta
14:01in this interview
14:01two weeks back
14:02where she has said
14:03that people,
14:04officers who do not
14:06have any experience
14:06on the ground
14:07have been brought in
14:08and if such kind
14:10of a problem
14:10occurs,
14:11then who is to be blamed?
14:12It is a fact
14:13that the wrath
14:14of the people
14:14has fallen over.
14:15We do not know
14:16whether those were
14:17TMC people
14:17or whether they were
14:18BJP people.
14:19We only know
14:20those were people
14:20who were protesting
14:21against the kind
14:23of which SIR
14:25was being held on.
14:26Please understand,
14:27the SIR
14:27has been held
14:28in other states
14:28like Gujarat,
14:29Tamil Nadu
14:30and UP
14:31is different
14:32from the SIR
14:32which is happening
14:33in Bengal.
14:35In Bengal,
14:35we have these
14:36logical discrepancies.
14:37In Bengal,
14:38we have the EROs
14:39deleting people
14:40for which the judicial
14:41officers have to be
14:42brought in.
14:42In Bengal,
14:43we have,
14:45visas did not be given
14:46for why the
14:47deletion is there.
14:48In Bengal,
14:49we have people
14:50like Amartya said,
14:51the Nobel laureate
14:52of the country
14:52being deleted.
14:54Please understand,
14:55it is the wrath
14:55of the people
14:56which has come down.
14:57The incident
14:57cannot be justified.
15:00An incident
15:00has occurred.
15:01It is a horrible incident.
15:02This should not happen.
15:03Be it the judicial officer,
15:04be it any officer
15:05of the state
15:06or of the central government.
15:08But the fact remains
15:10that who is to be blamed
15:11for it?
15:12Who was supposed
15:12to send the central port
15:14immediately there?
15:14It was the DGP.
15:16The DGP
15:17acting on the basis
15:18of the ECI
15:19of the CEO
15:20of Manoj Agarwal.
15:21Why this has not happened?
15:22Earlier also,
15:23when Binance was there,
15:24the perpetrators
15:25were brought to book
15:26within 24 hours.
15:27What happened today?
15:29We are still 24 hours.
15:30I want to bring in
15:31Shikha Mukherjee
15:32into this conversation.
15:33Ms. Mukherjee,
15:34you know,
15:34I don't know
15:35the journalistic circles
15:36in West Bengal,
15:37but what is being discussed
15:38back here
15:38in the National Capital
15:40is,
15:41will there be
15:42President's Rule
15:43in West Bengal?
15:44Is the stage being set
15:45for President's Rule?
15:47Well, yes,
15:48I think this is a speculation
15:49which is there
15:49in West Bengal as well.
15:51And in West Bengal,
15:52you know,
15:53there is,
15:54there is a kind
15:55of allergy
15:55to the idea
15:56of the President's Rule
15:57having been through
15:58seven such experiences
16:02before 1977,
16:03which is a long time ago.
16:05But nevertheless,
16:06the specter continues
16:08to haunt West Bengal.
16:10Having said that,
16:11yes,
16:11there seems to be,
16:13at least from
16:14Mamta Banerjee's speech
16:15this morning,
16:17she seems to be
16:18very rattled
16:19because what she was
16:21saying this morning
16:22and listened to it
16:23very carefully
16:24is that,
16:25please don't do this.
16:27The consequences
16:29are going to be
16:30disastrous.
16:31We don't want,
16:32we don't want to be
16:36compelled into a,
16:38sort of driven
16:39into a situation
16:40where things
16:41can go out of hand.
16:43So,
16:45let us be very clear
16:46on two things.
16:48And I think that,
16:48you know,
16:50whoever is in Delhi,
16:51whoever is in
16:52whichever part
16:52of the country
16:53needs to understand
16:54West Bengal
16:55has
16:56a history,
16:58a political
16:58tradition
16:59of wanting
17:00to,
17:01if the streets
17:02go out
17:03and protest,
17:04go into
17:05dharnas.
17:06I mean,
17:06you know,
17:07dharna is a term
17:08which was coined
17:08in Mumbai
17:09and Gherav also.
17:11But this is a concept
17:12which Mumbai
17:14and Bengal
17:15shared.
17:16Mumbai has
17:17abandoned its
17:18Gherav and
17:19dharna politics.
17:20West Bengal
17:20continues to pursue it.
17:22West Bengal's
17:23people think
17:23that if you
17:25go out
17:25in larger numbers,
17:27then your point
17:28gets hurt.
17:29Having said that,
17:31yes,
17:32Mamta Banerjee
17:33is,
17:33I think,
17:34rattled.
17:34I think
17:35the Trinamul
17:36Congress
17:37is rattled
17:38and the message
17:39from Mamta Banerjee
17:40is very clear.
17:42Play it cool.
17:43Don't give in
17:44to this kind
17:45of provocation.
17:46She,
17:46of course,
17:47is denying
17:47that there is
17:48anything to do
17:48with the DNC.
17:49What happened?
17:50Fair point.
17:52Fair point, ma'am.
17:53One minute
17:54to all of you again
17:55and Sanju Verma
17:55to bring you in.
17:56Let me pose
17:57this question,
17:58Sanju Verma.
17:59Would you,
17:59as a BJP
18:00spokesperson,
18:01be surprised
18:02if there was
18:02President's Rule
18:03at the back
18:03of what you're
18:04witnessing in Bengal?
18:06You know,
18:07Preeti,
18:08these days
18:08you have become
18:09so famous
18:09each time you
18:10have debates
18:11or, you know,
18:11those YouTube shows.
18:13After that,
18:13you've seen
18:13what's happening,
18:14there are many
18:14developments,
18:15but I'm not
18:16getting to that.
18:17But I just want
18:18to say one thing.
18:19I'm not going
18:20to be drawn
18:20into whether
18:21I'll be surprised
18:21or whether
18:22I will, you know,
18:23think it's just
18:24business as usual.
18:25I would like
18:26to take
18:26the next 41 seconds
18:28to say this.
18:30You always
18:30judge a person
18:31by his or her
18:32track record.
18:34And Mamata
18:34Panerjee's
18:35track record
18:35has been pathetic.
18:362016 Malda
18:38rights,
18:382017 Bhaduria
18:40rights,
18:402018 Asan
18:41Sol rights,
18:422019 Jadavpur
18:43rights,
18:432020 Uttar
18:45Dinajpur
18:45rights,
18:462021 Bhadreshwar
18:48rights,
18:482022 Birbhum
18:49rights,
18:502023 Jalpai
18:51Gudi
18:51rights,
18:522024
18:52Burshidabad
18:53rights,
18:542025
18:54North,
18:552024
18:56Pergana
18:56rights,
18:57and 2026
18:58again Burshidabad
18:59rights.
18:59What has
19:00Mamata
19:00Panerjee's
19:01response been?
19:02I can do it.
19:03It's done.
19:05So does
19:06anyone trust
19:06Mamata
19:07Panerjee's
19:07credibility?
19:08No, I
19:08don't.
19:09And I'm
19:09sure...
19:09Okay.
19:10Mr. Bhattacharji,
19:11your one minute
19:12starts now,
19:13sir.
19:14See,
19:15what Sanju
19:15Varma is saying,
19:16there have been
19:17riots,
19:17we're not denying
19:18that.
19:18But as I
19:19said earlier,
19:20the perpetrators
19:21have been brought
19:21to book and
19:22cases have been
19:23fined against
19:23them,
19:23they've been
19:24arrested,
19:24and judicial
19:25process is
19:25on.
19:26But what
19:27she's saying
19:27that Mamata
19:28Panerjee has
19:28lost the
19:29trust of
19:29the people,
19:30I just wish
19:30to remind
19:31her that
19:32since 2011
19:32onwards,
19:33she's the
19:33elected
19:34chief minister,
19:35and every
19:35time she
19:36has come
19:36to power
19:36with a
19:37much more
19:37thumping
19:37majority.
19:38So to
19:39say that
19:39she has
19:40lost the
19:40trust of
19:41the people
19:41is too
19:42early,
19:42because in
19:43this election
19:43also,
19:44as it is
19:45going now,
19:45she will
19:46definitely
19:46come back
19:47to power.
19:48Please
19:48understand,
19:49as I
19:50said,
19:50these
19:51incidents
19:52were done
19:52by criminals.
19:53Criminals
19:53have no
19:54religion,
19:54no caste,
19:55no creed,
19:55nothing.
19:56And this
19:56is a kind
19:57of a
19:59de facto
20:00or de
20:00Judea
20:01president's
20:01rule.
20:02You change
20:02all the
20:03officers,
20:03all officers
20:04are changed,
20:05and then you
20:06try to
20:06control the
20:07situation.
20:08This was
20:08bound to
20:09happen.
20:09The wrath
20:10of the people
20:10has fallen
20:11upon them.
20:11It is the
20:12job of the
20:12ECI to
20:13identify who
20:13has done
20:14it,
20:14bring them
20:15to book,
20:15and to
20:16conduct the
20:16SIL in
20:17such a
20:17manner.
20:18Ms.
20:19Mukherjee,
20:19I just
20:20want you
20:20to elucidate.
20:21What do
20:21you mean
20:22when you
20:22say
20:22Mamata
20:23Banerjee
20:23and the
20:23TMC
20:24is rattled?
20:25I mean
20:26that anything
20:28which creates
20:30a situation
20:32where things
20:33seem to be
20:34going out
20:34of control,
20:35where the
20:38law and
20:39order machinery
20:39is unable
20:40to deal
20:41with a
20:42crowd,
20:43where judicial
20:45officers are
20:47held in
20:48a
20:49girl for
20:50nine
20:50hours.
20:51Yes,
20:52it is
20:52something
20:53which is
20:53making her
20:55nervous
20:55because
20:57if you
20:57remember,
20:58Yanish
20:58Kumar had
20:59only one
20:59thing to
21:00say,
21:00the CEC
21:01said he
21:02will ensure
21:03a poll
21:04which is
21:05violence-free
21:05and peaceful,
21:07free and
21:07fair.
21:08So,
21:09yes,
21:10there is a
21:10reason.
21:11And if
21:12there is a
21:13breakdown of
21:13law and
21:14order,
21:14if the
21:16perception
21:16is that
21:17the law
21:18and order
21:19machinery
21:19has
21:20crumbled
21:21in West
21:21Bengal,
21:22then the
21:22only response
21:23to it
21:24that comes
21:25is
21:25President's
21:25rule.
21:26Yes,
21:26Mamata
21:27Manati is
21:27very concerned.
21:29All right,
21:29we're going to
21:30leave it at
21:30that.
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