- 14 hours ago
The second phase of the West Bengal assembly elections recorded a high voter turnout, reaching 90 percent by 5 PM. Despite the participation, the polling process faced controversies, including allegations of electronic voting machine tampering and sporadic clashes across various districts.
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NewsTranscript
00:01Hello and welcome, good evening. You're joining us on a special broadcast here on India Today.
00:05It's the last leg of voting in Bengal, the last one hour.
00:10And we're tracking all the updates very closely, but it's also exit poll day here on India Today.
00:16So in just about one and a half hours from now, the first numbers will be flashing on your screens
00:21at 6.30 p.m.
00:23We'll get you the first set of data, the exit poll data that you've all been watching out for.
00:28So namaskar, Vanakkam, namaskaram. You're joining us here on the special broadcast on India Today
00:33as we continue to get you all the updates from Bengal, off-polling day and also much, much more.
00:39We begin with the headlines first.
00:46Bumper 78.7% voting in Bengal. Second phase till 3 p.m.
00:51Hoorba Vartaman witnesses maximum voting of 83%.
00:56This after phase one in Bengal, so 93% voter turnout.
01:04High drama in Babanipur.
01:06Bengal Chief Minister Mamta questions presence of central forces.
01:10Air forces should secure the border, not interfere in polls.
01:13Shavindu Adhikari stages protest after alleging attack by TMC hooligans.
01:23Massive uproar over alleged EVM tampering in South 24 Paraganasar's Falta polling booth.
01:28White and black tapes found on EVMs.
01:32Poll body says re-polling on all booths where tampering was reported.
01:42Several incidents of violence reported during phase two of polling.
01:46BJP poll agent attacked in Nadia district.
01:49Bhangar's ISF candidate alleges attack by TMC workers.
01:58Tamil Nadu, which is Temple Run continues ahead of verdict day on May 4th,
02:02the day after visiting Lord Murugan Temple in Tiruchendur.
02:05TVK Chief offers prayers at Sai Baba Temple in Shirdi.
02:08The Tamil Nadu exit poll coming your way in a few hours.
02:15And Prime Minister Modi is Vishwana Darshani in Varanasi.
02:19Prime Minister Modi offers prayers at Baba Vishwana Temple.
02:22Poses with the Trishul and Damru.
02:25594 km Mirat to Prayagraj Express.
02:27We also launched.
02:33And we're all set with our exit poll numbers
02:35for Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Puducheri
02:38starting off at 6.30 this evening.
03:02And let's begin with the breaking news that's coming in off the drama
03:06that's unfolding in Mamta's bastion of Babanipur.
03:10Shubhendu Adhikari's car has been around once again
03:14as protesters raised Joy Bangla slogans against Shubhendu.
03:19Drama playing out repeatedly in Babanipur.
03:22So this comes hours after Shubhendu Adhikari alleged that he was targeted
03:26by who he calls TMC hooligans.
03:28Let's get you a ground report.
03:47Shubhendu Adhikari,
03:49foreign
03:58foreign
03:59foreign
04:00foreign
04:00and you can see the people of Polkata police who have done better work and don't go from the hands
04:09of the city
04:09and don't go away from the hands of the city, don't go away from the hands of the trees, don't
04:12go away from the trees
04:13and that's why people have understood that they are looking at the control of the city
04:23Piyush Mishra getting us those live updates from Babanipur where you can see the tensions are running high
04:28gives you a sense really of the high stakes battle that's at play in Babanipur
04:32but moments after Mamata Banerjee cast her vote lashed out at the CRPF saying they should be guarding the borders
04:39not here in such large numbers at polling booths, you've got now Shuvindu Adhikari's car being targeted
04:45let's get you that live report by Piyush
04:48There's no information in the features of Bhabanipur
04:52which is not vindic part of the city, right?
04:59When it comes to the city around the moment, the city about the city's car be the only one
05:09while the city is not killed.
05:12But when someone also came from the city's car to the other people
05:13they have noena, the city behind theè·¯, NATO, and London
05:14The city's car has gone, and is there already
05:16the city behind the streets and the police inside.
05:25foreign
05:25foreign
05:26foreign
05:54.
05:56.
05:56I want to make sure that people are going to get out of the land.
05:59But as they reach out of the land, people are going to get out of the land.
06:26but he was gheraud essentially by these protesters.
06:30This comes hours after Suvendu Adhikari had alleged
06:32that he was also targeted by who he calls TMC hooligans.
06:36So a lot of drama that's playing out in Babanipur.
06:39Just about 30 minutes ago, we had a reaction from Mamata Banerjee
06:42as she cast her vote.
06:44She also alleged that the CRPF,
06:47it should be out there guarding borders,
06:48are instead put out in unprecedented numbers at polling booths.
06:52And she says democracy is in danger.
06:54So it's all going down right now in Bengal.
06:57The second phase has unfortunately been marred
07:00by a few incidents of violence and tension,
07:02as you can see in Babanipur of Kolkata as well.
07:06Let's get you also the news break that I was referring to
07:09of Mamata's attack on the BJP while casting her vote.
07:15She showed around, spoke of the CRPF personnel
07:18who were there in large numbers,
07:19alleging that they are actually beating up people,
07:21saying that they are ensuring that they influence this election.
07:26Mamata Banerjee has said that she's never seen something like this play out
07:30ever before in an election in Bengal.
07:32Let's play out for you exactly what she said.
07:36And CRPF cannot torture like this.
07:38See, no state police is there.
07:41None of the booths are still there.
07:42None of the booths.
07:43All their capture.
07:44All their capture.
07:46Is it their duty?
07:47They should secure the border.
07:51Instead of secure the border,
07:53they are securing one political party.
07:55I'm sorry.
07:56I have never seen this type of thing.
07:58Because in my life,
07:59I'm fighting my election since 1984.
08:02And this time, the atrocity is terrible.
08:05Ato atrocity hutsi.
08:06Ato utkacham hutsi.
08:07Here, from yesterday night,
08:10they started atrocities.
08:11And they arrested so many of our people.
08:13No, there is no problem.
08:15It is a contempt of hope.
08:16We have sent out notices to come.
08:19Concerned of people.
08:20But I have never seen this type of democracy.
08:23But instead of that,
08:24I'm saying,
08:25they have demonstrated
08:27the press media
08:28that what is going on,
08:30that all the polls are going on,
08:31is that the polls are going to be back.
08:33The polls are going to be back.
08:34The polls are going to be back.
08:34The polls are going to be back.
08:35And the polls are going to be back.
08:37So, Mamata Banerjee alleging
08:39that the central forces have been deployed
08:41to influence the election,
08:42claims that people are being beaten up
08:45at polling boards.
08:45I'll bring in Indrajeet Kundu
08:47for more details
08:47of what's really playing out
08:48on the streets of Kolkata right now.
08:50Indrajeet, last leg,
08:52last bid of the Bengal elections
08:54being marked once again
08:55by controversy,
08:57by also incidents
08:58like Suvindu Adhikari's car being get out.
09:01Mamata Banerjee saying
09:02CRPF is threatening people.
09:08Well, that's right, Akshita.
09:09You know, even though the good news is,
09:12and I've been covering Bengal elections
09:13for quite a long time,
09:15this has been by and large
09:17a very, very peaceful election
09:18and thanks to the huge number
09:21of deployment of central forces.
09:22Of course, there have been scuffles,
09:24heated altercations.
09:25There has been tension.
09:27But the kind of bloodbath
09:28that we are used to seeing
09:29in West Bengal elections,
09:31especially in the last few years,
09:33that thankfully has not happened
09:35and that is such a welcome change.
09:38Both the first phase
09:38and we are just,
09:39the curtains are coming down
09:41on the second phase as well.
09:42Just an hour to go
09:43for these elections.
09:44for the polling.
09:45But by and large,
09:47it has remained mostly peaceful.
09:49142 seats in densely populated
09:51South Bengal
09:52and districts which are often
09:54known to be very, very sensitive
09:57and violence prone.
09:58Be it Bordoban,
09:59be it parts of South 24 Pergona,
10:01be it Bhangor.
10:02We have seen sporadic incidents.
10:04But on a larger scale,
10:06if you see the macro picture,
10:07this has by far been
10:08a very, very peaceful election.
10:10And once again,
10:11I reiterate,
10:12cannot underline that no less,
10:14the presence of huge amounts
10:17of central security forces.
10:19Because wherever there was
10:19a little bit of spark,
10:21the quick response teams
10:22were very, very prompt
10:23to respond.
10:24And therefore,
10:25it did not escalate
10:26into something so major
10:27that it would halt
10:28the polling process.
10:29So, Mamta Banerjee
10:31and Shubhendu Edhikari,
10:32of course,
10:33allegation,
10:34counter-allegation,
10:35flying thick and fast
10:36is what generally happens
10:38for such, you know,
10:39surcharged political debates.
10:42And that does not come in
10:43as a surprise.
10:43But on the ground,
10:44of course,
10:45people have come out
10:46in huge numbers,
10:47in large numbers.
10:48There is also the SIR factor.
10:50We saw it in the last phase as well.
10:52And we are seeing it
10:53in this phase as well.
10:54People are really,
10:55really eager to come out
10:56and vote.
10:57What does it mean?
10:58We don't know.
10:58But in the backdrop
10:59of the SIR,
11:00I do sense that there is
11:01a bit of anxiety
11:02amongst people.
11:03And they do not want
11:04to lose this opportunity.
11:06They wanted their vote
11:07to be registered
11:08this time around.
11:09And, you know,
11:10away from all of the politics,
11:11what Indrajit highlights here
11:12is the fact that we've seen
11:14a much more peaceful voting
11:16in Bengal than ever before.
11:18That phase one and phase two,
11:19yes, there have been
11:19minor incidents
11:20like what we're reporting
11:21on right now.
11:22But ultimately,
11:23people have been given
11:24a safe environment
11:24to come out
11:25and cast their vote,
11:26which hasn't been
11:27the normal in Bengal
11:28in the last few poll seasons.
11:30Let's just get you now
11:31a detailed report
11:32on what's really played out
11:33in the last few hours
11:34of phase two
11:35of polling in Bengal.
11:36Yes, there have been
11:37a few controversies
11:38like allegations
11:39of EVM tampering
11:41that's prompted
11:41also the Election Commission
11:42to promise re-polling
11:44in some of those polling booths.
11:45Two minor clashes
11:46that have been reported
11:47between TMC and BJP
11:48get you a lowdown
11:49in our next report.
12:14Phase two polling in Bengal
12:16remained tense,
12:17with allegations and clashes
12:19surfacing from
12:20multiple districts.
12:26Tensions spread
12:28in Bhavanipur
12:28after BJP leader
12:29Subhendu Adhikari
12:30was gheraud
12:31while visiting
12:32a polling booth.
12:37TMC supporters
12:38raised Chor Chor
12:39and Joy Bangla
12:40slogans,
12:46while BJP workers
12:47retaliated with
12:48Jai Shri Ram
12:49triggering a face-off.
12:56Police intervened
12:58and resorted
12:58to a mild lati charge
13:00to disperse the crowd.
13:09Another incident,
13:11six light bombs
13:12were recovered
13:13near a polling booth
13:14in Ketu Gram's
13:15Biruri village
13:16in Purwabardhaman.
13:18The explosives
13:19were found
13:20in a bag
13:20close to booth 35.
13:22The area
13:23was cordoned off
13:23and bomb disposal
13:25squads
13:25rushed to the spot.
13:26polling was also
13:28halted temporarily
13:29at Monteshwar
13:31polling booth
13:31over taped
13:32EVM button
13:33allegations.
13:34Taped button
13:35was of TMC
13:36candidate
13:37Siddhikulla Chaudhary.
13:45In Falta,
13:46a fresh controversy
13:47erupted over
13:48alleged EVM
13:49tampering.
13:50BJP candidate
13:51Devanshu Panda
13:52claimed that
13:53buttons linked
13:54to his symbol
13:54were jammed
13:55in several booths.
14:14The election commission
14:15stepped in,
14:16removed tapes,
14:18founded machines
14:18and ordered
14:19repolling.
14:45clashes who also
14:47reported in Falta
14:48with police
14:49resorting to
14:49mild force
14:50after BJP
14:51alleged booth
14:52jamming.
14:55TMC, however,
14:56accused forces
14:57of targeting
14:57women voters.
15:00In Bangor,
15:01ISF candidate
15:02Noshat Siddhiki
15:03alleged voter
15:04intimidation
15:05and was
15:06gheraut,
15:06leading to a
15:07scuffle
15:07between rival
15:08camps.
15:24In Nadia,
15:25BJP poll
15:25agent was
15:26allegedly
15:27attacked
15:27while entering
15:28a polling booth.
15:30Meanwhile,
15:31in North 24
15:31Parganas,
15:32CISF
15:33arrested
15:34TMC
15:34leader
15:35Sikandar Prasad
15:36for his alleged
15:36role in
15:37earlier clashes.
15:42BJP's
15:43Subendu Adhikari
15:44spoke exclusively
15:45to India
15:45today and
15:46said that
15:47Home Minister
15:47Amit Shah
15:48was apprised
15:49of all that
15:49was happening
15:50in Bengal.
15:52Our
15:53central leadership
15:54is closely
15:57monitoring
15:58the situation.
15:59Early morning,
16:01Mr.
16:01Bhupendra
16:01Jadav called
16:02me.
16:03And a few
16:04times back,
16:05Honorable
16:05Home Minister
16:06also called
16:06me.
16:07I convey
16:08the ground
16:09situation.
16:10From
16:11violence on
16:11the ground
16:12to the
16:12serious
16:12allegations
16:13of EVM
16:14tempering,
16:14Bengal
16:15face to
16:16polling saw
16:16high-voltage
16:17drama
16:18across
16:18constituencies.
16:20With
16:20the election
16:21commission
16:21ordering
16:22repoll
16:23and political
16:23tensions
16:24running high,
16:25the
16:25battle for
16:26Bengal
16:26continues
16:27intensify.
16:29With
16:29Piyush
16:30Mishra,
16:30Indrajit
16:31Kundu,
16:31Amit
16:31Bharadwaj,
16:32Anirban
16:33Sinha Roy,
16:34Mausami
16:34Singh,
16:34Anupam
16:35Mishra and
16:35Tapas
16:36Sengupta in
16:37West Bengal,
16:37Bureau
16:38Report,
16:38India
16:38Today.
16:46So we've
16:47shown you
16:47some of
16:47those
16:47images of
16:48the
16:48controversy,
16:49the
16:49clashes that
16:50broke out
16:51during phase
16:51two of
16:52polling.
16:52But let's
16:53be very
16:53clear,
16:53we've still
16:54seen
16:54unprecedented
16:55polling that's
16:56taken place
16:56in phase
16:57two of
16:57Bengal.
16:58I'll get
16:58you those
16:58numbers
16:59quickly before
16:59I take
17:00this across
17:00to our
17:01experts.
17:02Taking
17:02this to
17:02our
17:03election
17:03intelligence
17:03dashboard,
17:05focusing on
17:05Bengal,
17:06we saw a
17:07record voter
17:07turnout in
17:08phase one.
17:09What's
17:09phase two
17:10looking like
17:10so far?
17:11Remember
17:12that this
17:12is the
17:12data right
17:13up to
17:143pm and
17:15already it's
17:15at 79%,
17:16just about
17:17touching nearly
17:18what Bengal
17:19achieved in
17:202021.
17:21This is as
17:22of 3pm,
17:22so those
17:23numbers are
17:23only going to
17:24go up.
17:24Remember
17:25that in
17:25phase one
17:26about 90%,
17:27are we going
17:27to see
17:28similar
17:28numbers in
17:29phase two
17:29as well?
17:30Definitely
17:31looks like
17:31it.
17:32And what
17:32that highlights
17:33for you is
17:33that while
17:34you're seeing
17:34all of these
17:35controversies,
17:36clashes,
17:36etc., it's
17:37nothing compared
17:38to what was
17:38witnessed in
17:392021.
17:40And so,
17:41yes, there is
17:41an impact of
17:42SIR, but
17:43beyond that
17:43there's also
17:44an environment
17:45where people
17:46have been
17:46provided a
17:47safe opportunity
17:47to go out
17:48and cast
17:49their vote.
17:49And that's
17:50reflected clearly
17:50in those
17:51numbers as
17:52well.
17:52If you have
17:53to really
17:53exclude the
17:54SIR
17:54impact,
17:55not just
17:55in percentage,
17:56we'll also
17:56have to look
17:57in terms of
17:57numbers how
17:58many people
17:58have actually
17:59come out to
17:59vote.
18:00So once the
18:00EC puts out
18:01those figures,
18:02we'll take a
18:02look at that
18:03as well.
18:04But this is
18:04what the
18:04voter turnout
18:05looks like
18:06currently.
18:06I also want
18:07to bring
18:07in on this
18:08broadcast,
18:09our panelists
18:09with us.
18:10We've got
18:10Mr. Sandeep
18:11Shastri
18:11joining us
18:12live from
18:13Bengaluru,
18:14also with
18:14us,
18:15Sajun Kumar,
18:16Rajat Sethi,
18:16all joining
18:17us for our
18:18exciting exit
18:18poll coverage
18:19as well.
18:19Rajat, to
18:20you first,
18:21all set.
18:21Exit poll
18:22numbers, of
18:23course, will
18:23kick off at
18:24about 6,
18:246.30 this
18:25evening.
18:26But looking
18:27at the
18:27Bengal turnout,
18:29yes, there's
18:29an SIR impact,
18:30but beyond that
18:31also, Rajat,
18:32what do you
18:33make of the
18:33fact that you're
18:34seeing record
18:34numbers coming
18:35out to cast
18:35the award?
18:36Everyone's been
18:36talking about
18:37women particularly
18:38standing in
18:38long, long
18:39queues.
18:40If you see
18:41the airfares of
18:43all inbound
18:44flights into
18:45Kolkata, the
18:46prices have
18:47been upwards of
18:4720,000 rupees
18:48for the past
18:49week or so.
18:50So that is the
18:51degree of
18:51excitement.
18:52Trains are
18:52full.
18:53Everybody wants
18:53to go back to
18:54their state and
18:55cast the poll.
18:56That is the
18:56sense of
18:57excitement, sense
18:58of competition.
18:59And of course,
18:59there is a
19:00degree of SIR
19:01impact also,
19:02which is there.
19:04People want to
19:04cast their
19:05vote to ensure
19:06that they remain
19:07enfranchised even
19:08in the future SIR
19:09revisions.
19:09Along with that,
19:10there is an
19:11intense competition.
19:12Both the parties,
19:13GMC and the
19:14BJP are doing
19:15everything that
19:16they can to
19:17have the
19:17organizational pull
19:18onto the
19:18voters, getting
19:20them to the
19:20polling station.
19:21It is absolutely
19:22delightful.
19:22I think having
19:23this percentage of
19:24poll in a mature
19:25democracy is very
19:26rare in the
19:27world.
19:27I mean, which
19:28other country at
19:28this scale can
19:29claim a 90%
19:30sort of polling?
19:31Does it translate
19:32to an anti-incumbency
19:33vote though?
19:34Well, not
19:35necessarily.
19:35I think a lot
19:36of analysts have
19:37now debunked this
19:38over and over
19:39again, that we
19:40want to put it
19:42out.
19:42It is a properly
19:43researched thing
19:43that having higher
19:44percentage does not
19:45necessarily mean
19:46anti-incumbency.
19:47It just means that
19:48it is a hyper-competitive
19:50election and you
19:51will see both the
19:52parties doing
19:52everything that they
19:53can to pull these
19:55voters out and get
19:56them to the polling
19:57station.
19:57But, Sachin Kupar, how
19:58much of the voter
19:59turnout percentage would
20:01you deem as the
20:01impact of SIR and
20:03above a certain
20:04number say that,
20:05look, this is
20:06actually a record
20:06turnout in the sense
20:07that numbers have
20:08gone up of people
20:09coming out to cast
20:10their vote?
20:10So, two
20:11references.
20:12One in Bihar, we
20:12saw around 8% vote
20:14was deleted because of
20:16the SIR and we saw
20:17a corresponding figure
20:18getting increased in
20:19vote poll.
20:20So, similarly, taking
20:212024 election as the
20:23base, wherein 79.2%
20:26was the vote base,
20:28even if we take 9
20:29to 10% as SIR
20:31impact, you see, it
20:32should have been
20:32around 89, 88, 89%,
20:34maybe 90%, right?
20:37But, still, we saw
20:38around 93% in the
20:39first phase.
20:40So, the 3% is
20:40additional.
20:41Exactly.
20:423% is additional.
20:43It's a big swing for a
20:45state wherein already
20:46you have a culture of
20:47high voting percentage
20:48since 1977, right?
20:51So, that is why
20:52already a state which
20:53is known for high
20:54voting percentage
20:55going up 3 to, I
20:58mean, 3 to 4% more
20:59vote, even after
21:01factoring SIR, that
21:02shows that people are
21:03coming out more and
21:04more, which means both
21:07support bases, that
21:08is TMC and BJP,
21:11because it's a binary
21:12election between two
21:13party, bipolar
21:14election, have
21:15mobilized their support
21:16base.
21:16It is peaceful, so
21:18which means there is
21:19the fear factor which
21:20used to be there
21:21decimated considerably.
21:24So, that is why 3 to
21:254% means that no
21:27party is leaving any
21:28stone unturned to get
21:30their voters come out.
21:31And one thing I think
21:33that because BJP is
21:35organizationally weak,
21:37and even in areas
21:39wherein we expected
21:40BJP base to be there
21:41despite organized people
21:42coming out and vote,
21:44so which means part of
21:45anti-incumbency is also
21:47there.
21:47Okay, part of
21:48anti-incumbency, there
21:49are two M factors
21:50everyone's talking about
21:51in Bengal.
21:52One is the Muslim
21:53factor, the other the
21:53Mahila factor.
21:54And Sandeep Shastri, if
21:55I were to focus on the
21:56Mahila factor and all
21:58of the chatter around the
21:59long queues of women
22:00that you see lined up in
22:01Bengal, who would you
22:02deem that to be an
22:03advantage for?
22:04TMC or BJP?
22:05More women turn out.
22:07Again, Akshita, that's a
22:10very difficult question
22:12which is impossible to
22:15answer at this stage
22:16because women have
22:18traditionally voted in
22:20larger numbers for the
22:21TMC.
22:22This time, the law and
22:24order factor, the
22:25anti-incumbency factor
22:27could play in.
22:28Now, how much does that
22:30impact the TMC?
22:31It will need to be seen.
22:33But Akshita, I think one
22:34point, even before the
22:37May 4th verdict, one
22:39verdict is clearly out.
22:41One winner is clearly
22:42seen, which is one more
22:44M factor, which is the
22:46Matadar.
22:47The Matadar has clearly
22:49won this election.
22:50There is no shadow of
22:51doubt on this.
22:52The Matadar, by the
22:54turnout that she has
22:56shown, is clearly the
22:58winner.
22:58And I would go with
22:59both Rajat and Sajjan on
23:01the points they made
23:02that the hyper
23:06polarization that this
23:07election sees may be a
23:10reflection of the high,
23:11may have resulted in the
23:13high voter turnout because
23:14both camps, the TMC camp
23:17and the BJP camp, have
23:19been able to mobilize their
23:21motors, have been able to
23:22galvanize their voters to
23:24come out and vote.
23:25SIR definitely has had an
23:27impact, especially in a way
23:30which is now being
23:31discussed.
23:32A lot of people must have
23:33felt that if I don't go out
23:35and vote this time, next
23:36time my name may be deleted
23:38from the list.
23:39So that factor and of
23:41course the cleansing of the
23:42electoral rolls factor, all
23:44these factors.
23:47Okay.
23:48Okay, Mr. Sandeep Shastri, we'll
23:50come back to you.
23:50We lost your connection but
23:51since you were referring to
23:53SIR, you know, you're seeing
23:55the SIR impact in almost
23:56every state.
23:57States that I've covered,
23:58Kerala, Tamil Nadu for
23:59example, where 70 lakh plus
24:01voters were deleted, not
24:02really a poll issue.
24:03In Bengal, 100%.
24:05It's possibly one of the
24:06biggest contentious issues
24:08this election season.
24:09Let me just run you through
24:10those numbers of what the
24:11SIR impact in West Bengal
24:12has been.
24:13Before SIR, the numbers, the
24:15number of voters was 7.66
24:18crores, post 6.8 crores.
24:20And we've kept in mind the
24:21fact that there were also
24:22these tribunals that looked at
24:24some of those numbers, very
24:25small differences really that
24:27it ultimately made.
24:28But the impact in West
24:29Bengal of those numbers, if I
24:31were to break that down
24:32further for you on community
24:34wise, 63% of those were
24:37Hindus, 34% Muslims.
24:39And the reason we're putting
24:40that out is because there's
24:41been a lot of talk about who
24:43really SIR will dent.
24:45And this gives you a sense
24:46really of who ultimately will
24:48be the casualty.
24:49There have been questions
24:50about the districts too, in
24:52which we've seen the maximum
24:53cut.
24:54What we've done is of the
24:5534% Muslims, we looked at the
24:58districts that has the maximum
24:59Muslim population because
25:00that's a community that votes
25:02overwhelmingly for the TMC.
25:04Will they be dented because of
25:05SIR?
25:06Let's look at some of those
25:07districts.
25:07Mushridabad, for example, before
25:09SIR, the number of voters there
25:11was at 57.6 lakhs, after 50
25:14lakh.
25:14Now, we're not suggesting that
25:15that was completely only the
25:16Muslim population.
25:17But the reason we've picked up
25:19Mushridabad is because it has a
25:20Muslim population of about 66 to
25:2367%.
25:24I'll again highlight, 7.5 lakh
25:26voters were deleted in this
25:27district.
25:28Not all of them are Muslims.
25:30But it is a district which has a
25:32sizable Muslim population.
25:34Similarly, Malda, another district
25:36that has about 51 to 52% of a
25:38Muslim population.
25:39If they had 32 lakh voters
25:41before, it's at 27.5.
25:42So 4.5 lakh voters deleted in
25:45this district.
25:46Not 24 South, 24 Paraganaas.
25:48First, not 24 Paraganaas there.
25:49Muslim population of 25 to 26%
25:52from 83 lakh.
25:53It's gone to 70.7 lakh now with
25:5512.38 lakh voters being deleted.
25:59South 24 Paraganaas finally, where
26:01a Muslim population of 35 to 36%,
26:0410.4 lakh voters have been
26:06deleted.
26:07Those are the numbers for you of
26:09really how the SIR has had its
26:11impact in numbers.
26:12And I want to bring it back to
26:14what we broke down, you know,
26:16community-wise, who's been
26:17dented the most?
26:18Because Rajat, you've seen so
26:20much of a political discourse on
26:22this, on, you know, what has
26:23been the impact of SIR.
26:25There's been a lot of political
26:26back and forth as well.
26:27And those numbers kind of
26:28suggest that you can't really
26:30quantify which side will be
26:31dented right now.
26:32Absolutely.
26:32I think, see, this is where
26:34political parties, they have
26:36this habit of politicizing
26:37everything.
26:37I mean, look at the distribution
26:39on the Hindu-Muslim side.
26:41It is largely in proportion to
26:42the population.
26:43It is not something like what was
26:46made out that the Muslims
26:47have taken out of the SIR.
26:48I mean, it's not the case
26:49clearly.
26:50Similarly, in Tamil Nadu and
26:53Kerala, both these states,
26:55from a population proportion
26:56percentage, greater number of
26:58voters were removed in the SIR
27:00exercise as compared to West
27:02Bengal.
27:02But in West Bengal, I think,
27:04what TMC started thinking was
27:06that this was done being
27:07deliberately and then secondly,
27:08they wanted to play victim
27:09card.
27:10How do they do that in an election?
27:12They thought that this is a good
27:13punching bag, let's deflect the
27:15attention from the core
27:16anti-incumbency issue and
27:18address this elephant in the
27:19room.
27:19And I think last very important
27:21point here is that SIR or no
27:24SIR, Rinamool Congress has been
27:27successful in actually deflecting
27:29some of the attention away from
27:31the local anti-incumbency using
27:33this boogie of SIR.
27:34So then you're saying it
27:35worked?
27:36That's what I'm saying.
27:36I mean, look at there are Hindu
27:38voters also which have been
27:40reduced.
27:40And also Muslim voters, they were
27:42concentrated in certain
27:43constituencies.
27:44So if it's a Mushridabad, out of
27:4531 lakhs, you remove 3-4 lakhs,
27:47it's not going to change the
27:48political texture of that
27:49constituency.
27:50It will largely remain the
27:51same.
27:52So, you know, I don't know how
27:54the opposition is drawing to
27:55that conclusion that it is net-net
27:57advantage BJP.
27:58It is clearly not.
27:59It is actually a potent
28:00constitutional exercise which
28:02was done.
28:03I'll break that down further.
28:04And this is the flip side of it,
28:05Sajjan Kumar.
28:06We also did a comparison where we
28:08spoke of phase one deletions
28:09versus phase two deletions.
28:11And everyone's also, of course,
28:12spoken about how phase one was
28:13perhaps where the BJP stood a
28:15chance versus phase two, which is
28:16considered to be the traditional
28:17TMC stronghold.
28:18If you compare those two figures,
28:20the number of SIR deletions are
28:22greater in the districts that come
28:24under phase two, which is where the
28:25narrative came out, Sajjan, that
28:27look, these are TMC strongholds
28:28where you see maximum deletions.
28:30No, I mean, let's see.
28:31The two classification of
28:32has a one first deletion was of
28:35those which was without any
28:36controversy.
28:37That is 58 points, almost 60
28:39lakh voters, which are dead
28:41voters, shifted voters, voters
28:42with double ID cards, so which
28:43came in December 16.
28:45So there is no doubt about that.
28:46So when you see those deletions,
28:48it is without controversy because
28:50it is being updated after 28.
28:51The second deletion which on
28:53which a lot of politics happened
28:54was when 60 lakh more people came
28:57under adjudication.
28:58They were called de-voters,
28:59doubtful voters.
29:00And out of that, around 32 lakh
29:02voters have been declared as not
29:03eligible, not bona fide.
29:05Right, so when we see the
29:07deletion, I agree with Rajat that
29:0965% Hindus, when you club both
29:12the, because 70% Hindus, means
29:14automatically their ratio would
29:15be high.
29:16So you see a proportionality in
29:18the deletion.
29:19Second, coming to your point,
29:21that in the second phase we do
29:22see that there are more deletion
29:24district-wise, but remember
29:25North 24 Pargana, Nadia, these
29:28are the districts wherein
29:29maximum deletions are there, if
29:31you see district-wise, it is
29:32also the Matua belt.
29:34Agreed.
29:34And they are the ones who are the
29:35Hindu refusies, many of them came
29:38after 2002.
29:39After CAA, they should have been
29:41given the citizenship card, which
29:42could not be given because of the
29:44laziness of the administration and
29:45even BJP, whose support base they
29:47are considered.
29:48Many of them are deletion.
29:49But ultimately, as Radhat said,
29:52you remove 3, 4 lakhs, 7 lakhs
29:54voters from Murshidabad, which has
29:56around 67% Muslim population.
29:58You remove a couple of lakhs from
30:01entire Matua belt wherein overwhelming
30:03support is towards the BJP.
30:05It doesn't change the...
30:07So it is more about the politicizing
30:09the SIR.
30:10Now, I think one of the questions that's
30:11constantly been asked is about
30:13logical discrepancy.
30:15Yeah.
30:15And also the challenges there for people
30:17to go ahead and contest the decision
30:20that's been taken.
30:21How do you defend a term like logical
30:24discrepancy?
30:24So, see, there are two normative things.
30:27Not a single eligible voter should be
30:30left out and should be deprived of
30:32voting rights.
30:32But at the same time, not a single
30:34infiltrator should be allowed to vote.
30:37So, pragmatism, logical discrepancy goes
30:40against the spirit of democracy.
30:42Yeah.
30:42But we do know conducting SIR in rest
30:45of India, but conducting SIR in a state
30:47like Bengal, you did not include Assam
30:50because of its own NRC thing.
30:52So it was bound to happen.
30:54I think election commission should have
30:56taken into cognizance the scale and
30:58proportionality of the problem.
31:00Would you concede there, Rajat, that maybe
31:02the election commission, the manner in
31:03which they went about the exercise in
31:05Bengal could have been different, should
31:07have been done differently?
31:09100%.
31:09I think they should have built more
31:11confidence across the aisle because
31:13this is a constitutional exercise which
31:15nobody can obstruct because if they do
31:18that, they're doing a patently unconstitutional
31:19act.
31:20That has to be clarified and TMC's doubts
31:23which were coming about, I mean, you're
31:25talking about doubtful voters, there are
31:26cases where the father's age is lesser than
31:28the son's age.
31:29I mean, these are the cases.
31:31And again, I don't want to replace
31:32anecdotes with statistics.
31:34No, there are both sides.
31:35Anecdotes became the story.
31:37Wall-to-wall story.
31:38Of suffering, of people standing in lines
31:40forever.
31:40But you know, you have to look at these
31:41statistics.
31:42The proportion of these cases is
31:44extraordinarily small.
31:45And you will go with a headline number,
31:47okay, these many voters, you know, 60,
31:4970 lakh voters have been removed, then
31:51the story will go into voters' mind in a
31:53very different way.
31:54But if you actually break it down and
31:56remove anecdotes from the stories, go
31:58into hard numbers and go into the error
32:00margins that you have to give to the
32:02election commission, that you will do
32:03two, three percent, after all, it's a
32:05human exercise at a gigantic scale.
32:07Errors are bound to happen.
32:09So give that window.
32:10I think where election commission could
32:12have done is better communication.
32:13This is not a permanent disenfranchisement.
32:15There are ways in which, you know, the
32:17doubtful voters can again go back into the
32:19electoral rolls.
32:20Henceforth, I think that is where the
32:22controversy should have stopped.
32:24Instead of erosion of the trust that was
32:27attempted by the opposition parties.
32:29But that erosion of trust also comes from
32:31exactly what you spoke of, of how the
32:33election commission has gone about this
32:35entire exercise and the communication
32:36that's gone through in the last few
32:38weeks in the run-up to this election as
32:40well.
32:40We're counting down to our exit poll
32:42coverage here on India Today.
32:44The last leg of Bengal voting and phase
32:48two set to come to an end in about 25
32:51minutes from now.
32:52It's endless controversy.
32:53I'm with that.
32:54Let's get you the latest newsprint coming
32:55in.
32:56The TMC's target number one right now is
32:58the central forces who've been deployed
33:00in unprecedented numbers in Bengal.
33:03You had Mamata Banerjee first.
33:05Now, Abhishek Banerjee lashing out at
33:06central forces, saying under Amit Shah,
33:08they've become BJP's private army.
33:11So the TMC alleging that these are CRPF,
33:15CAPF personnel who are deployed in large
33:17numbers are BJP's private army.
33:20According to Abhishek Banerjee, he calls
33:21them a gang of licensed thugs unleashed to
33:24the people of Bengal.
33:25You had previously Mamata Banerjee suggesting
33:27that the CRPF was threatening people,
33:30was in fact targeting women voters in
33:33particular.
33:34She says, go guard our borders.
33:35Don't come in such large numbers to
33:37polling boards.
33:38All right, let's cut across now to breaking
33:41news coming in on the water turnout.
33:42The latest numbers are on your screens.
33:44As of 5 p.m., we've touched 90 percent
33:48water turnout in phase two in Bengal.
33:51That's extremely promising.
33:53It looks like phase two will outdo phase one
33:55as well, because till 5 p.m., the number
33:58stands at 90 percent.
33:59This is bumper record voting that we're
34:02witnessing in Bengal.
34:04What does it indicate?
34:05Don't read too much into the water turnout.
34:06Many analysts will tell you.
34:08But right now, you can see the number of 90 percent
34:10on your screens there.
34:11That's the water turnout reported till 5 p.m.
34:14It's been going up briskly since this morning in an environment
34:19where there hasn't been violence clashes, where it's been safe
34:22for people to come out and cast their vote with the kind
34:24of deployment we've seen of central forces.
34:26Ninety percent is the water turnout that's been reported.
34:30Extremely promising.
34:31This is away from the politics and the reading, the analysis
34:34and whatnot.
34:35This is extremely promising and positive that voters have
34:38come out in such large numbers.
34:39I'll bring in Amit Bharatwaj for more details on this.
34:42Amit, you know, in constituencies, districts which would be
34:46rocked usually by violence, where people would come out
34:48in very small numbers.
34:50It's a complete transformation when you compare 2021 to 2026 now.
34:58Absolutely right, Akshata.
35:00The numbers are promising, encouraging and a lesson for the
35:03rest of the country as well.
35:04The way West Bengal is voting, you know, 5 p.m. data,
35:08the latest data of the poll percentage in West Bengal in the
35:11second phase has seized 90 percent.
35:14And if you go by the district, which actually is on the top
35:18of that list, is Nadia, where 90.28 percent polling has
35:22already happened.
35:23Purva Bardaman, 92.46 percent polling has happened in
35:27Purva Bardaman.
35:28And the area that I am in, South 24 Paganas, 89.57 percent of
35:35polling has already happened.
35:36And this is happening when you have war of word happening between
35:41the Bharatiya Janata Party in the Theranmul Congress.
35:44And the latest to that allegation is the statement or, you know,
35:49a clear-cut message that has been given by the AITC General
35:52Secretary Abhishek Panerjee, where he is saying that he is calling
35:55the armed forces and those who are, according to him, you know,
36:01carrying out the act of, quote, unquote, barbarism in West Bengal.
36:05He is calling them Jallads and he is saying that every, each one of
36:09those officers are being tracked down by TMC and they will go after
36:13them legally after the elections are over.
36:15So that is a very strong statement coming from Abhishek Panerjee.
36:20And earlier today you had Suvendu Adhikari of the Bharatiya Janata
36:23Party making several allegations against Mohammed Abhanerjee.
36:26But the place where I am standing, it had also become the epicentre of
36:30all the political strong.
36:31So just to draw that comparison, Amit, where you are standing in
36:34South 24 Parganas, in that particular district, what was the
36:36water turnout in 2021 versus now?
36:43Well, if you go by the overall numbers, it was anything around 85,
36:4786 percent for South Chavez Pargana in 2021.
36:51And that number has been already surpassed.
36:54But we'll also have to keep into account the SIR deletions that happened
36:59particularly in Falta as well, Falta district because of SIR deletion.
37:04How do you put those numbers together?
37:06And there's also second effect of the SIR where migrant workers are
37:11coming back to their home to cast vote because a very clear political
37:15messaging has been done by, you can say, BJP or Threadmill that if you
37:20end up not casting your vote, you might not be on the list of voter list
37:24at all.
37:25And that would put question mark on your inclusion in the social
37:27security schemes altogether.
37:29So that is also helping, you know, the poll percentage go up.
37:33Jahangir Khan of the Trinimal Congress can step out anytime to cast his vote.
37:37So we'll wait for that.
37:38Amit, just stay with me.
37:39We're going to connect to us to the next news break coming in.
37:41That's over the showdown that we've been witnessing over the Central
37:45Forces deployment in Bengal.
37:47Mamata Banerjee has lashed out.
37:49Abhishek Banerjee has lashed out.
37:50But amid that, we are hearing that 700 companies of the CAPF will remain deployed
37:57in Bengal for security arrangements and law and order duties till further orders.
38:02What does that mean?
38:03It means essentially that just because voting has come to an end doesn't mean
38:07that the Central Forces will be withdrawn.
38:09Remember, Home Minister Amit Shah had spoken of this.
38:11He said that they will remain on the ground for 60 days.
38:15Now, the date exactly hasn't been given, but till further orders essentially is the
38:19messaging.
38:20So for now, definitely till result day, which is on Monday, you're going to be seeing the
38:25deployment of Central Forces to ensure that there's no untoward incident to ensure that
38:30law and order remains in Bengal.
38:33Amit, you're seeing a political showdown over it, but that politics doesn't affect the
38:37fact that the Central Forces will remain deployed on the streets of Bengal for the next many days.
38:47Akshata, that is true because even in 2021, I was in West Bengal after the polls were over,
38:54results were out, and we had seen the kind of violence that unfolded in very small pockets
39:00of West Bengal, you know, the rural pockets to be very specific in Birbhum, in other areas.
39:05Even in Kolkata, for that matter, I had reported from areas which had seen intense, fierce political
39:12violence, and there were allegations flying from both sides, from the BJP as well as the
39:17General Congress of their workers being attacked.
39:20And that is why you have the Para Forces, Central Forces, which will continue to be deployed
39:24in West Bengal even after the polling.
39:27And TMC sources are now telling me that if the BJP is sure about their victory, why 700
39:35companies of these Central Forces will continue to be deployed in West Bengal.
39:39So clearly, one side you have the message coming that the deployment will continue, the other
39:44side, the counter, political counter is already coming.
39:46But the Para Forces and security at Jahangir Khan's house has increased, which means that
39:54Jahangir Khan is all set to step out to cast his vote, and he has been in the center of
39:59the political storm in the past 48 hours.
40:02Right there, Trinamul Congress says, Jahangir Khan...
40:04Stand by for that, I will come across to you for those updates.
40:07But I can also tell you that Trinamul Congress reacting right now to the decision of having
40:12Central Forces deployed in West Bengal says, if BJP is so confident of winning, why have
40:17they asked these companies of CAPF to stay back?
40:20So the TMC continuing to lash out at the BJP over this decision, Abhishek Banerjee has even
40:25referred to the Central Forces as BJP's private army.
40:29But listen in to what Mamata Banerjee said earlier when she questioned this deployment and
40:34said that they're threatening the CRPF deployed around Babanipur, according to her, were threatening
40:39voters.
40:44The CRPF cannot capture like this.
40:46See, no state police is there.
40:49None of the boots are here to do.
40:50None of the boots.
40:51All their capture.
40:52All their capture.
40:54Is it their duty?
40:55They should secure the border.
40:59Instead of secure the border, they are securing one political party.
41:02I'm sorry.
41:03I have never seen this type of thing.
41:05Because in my life, I'm fighting my election since 1984.
41:10And this time the atmosphere is terrible.
41:12It's terrible.
41:16And now with the confirmation coming in that the Central Forces aren't going anywhere.
41:21They're staying on in Bengal post-voting as well.
41:24The Trinamool Congress has questioned why they've been asked to stay back, saying if the BJP
41:29is so confident of winning, why have they asked 500 companies of the CAPF to stay back?
41:34So essentially the TMC suggesting that there's a conspiracy behind this move.
41:39Not surprising because you've had the Trinamool Congress, Mamata Banerjee, Abhishek Banerjee,
41:43question the deployment of Central Forces, question the need for them.
41:48But ultimately, away from the politics, it's led to also people coming out in large numbers to cast their vote.
41:55What we witnessed in 2021 through the course of eight phases of voting was that every single phase was marred
42:02by violence.
42:02This time, whatever said and done, you know, politically and otherwise, Rajat Sethi, it's been a success.
42:09You've seen huge numbers of people coming out to cast their vote, lesser incidents fortunately of violence.
42:15I think this is what perhaps is coming out as a shock to the TMC leadership.
42:20They are like, I mean, why are we not able to have a free run?
42:23I mean, what is Mamata Banerjee even asking?
42:27All she needs to do is to go and look at the media reports of May 2021.
42:31The kind of fury that was unleashed after the results came and she had won in a landslide victory.
42:36There were rapes and murders. BJP workers were hung from the tree.
42:41How can we remove, completely erase those memories?
42:44There were multiple incidents also of clashes that took place.
42:47No, fair enough. So this is why the Central Forces are there.
42:50I mean, your police people are police people and bureaucrats and policewalas.
42:54But if the Central Forces, they are the BJP's workers? I mean, how is that distinction?
42:59Your own commissioners of police and DGP's you've sent to Rajasabha and giving them tickets in the state elections.
43:05So you have yourself politicized the bureaucracy to the hilt. No other state.
43:09I mean, why are similar forces not in other states like Tamil Nadu?
43:12I mean, isn't the BJP fighting and contesting in those states as well? Why is it Bengal?
43:16See, let's not, you know, let's not sort of erase what has been happening in the state of Bengal over
43:24and over and over again.
43:26I think there is such a strong imprint in all our collective memories and India today has covered so many
43:31stories of political violence in this state,
43:33which is unparalleled. No corner in our country goes through the kind of political violence that this state goes through.
43:39And I believe the Central Forces, I would say, should carry on. If required, they should extend their stay.
43:44I think one fourth out of the 2,000 companies, one fourth are staying in that state.
43:48They should carry on to ensure that there is no post-poll violence.
43:52Why should voters be victimized for exercising their voting choice?
43:56Ultimately, Sandeep Shastri, if you look at this narrative that the TMC is constantly peddling of political manipulation,
44:02courtesy of the Central Forces being deployed there.
44:05Is that a weak argument to the face of the kind of violence that was witnessed in 2021
44:09and the contrast now where people are coming out to cast their vote in a much safer environment and space?
44:21Mr. Sandeep Shastri, can you unmute yourself, please?
44:26Akshita, one factor which is clear in the high voter turnout is the sense of safety and the sense of
44:33security that the people are experiencing.
44:36So in that sense, the presence of the Central Security Forces could be argued as being warranted,
44:46given the high stakes of violence that you saw earlier in elections.
44:51Having said that, I would also add that given the ultra-polarization of voters in this election,
45:02there is bound to be this criticism that what the other side is doing is to checkmate us and what
45:13we are doing is to defend the voters.
45:17So essentially everything, everything will be politicized, everything will be questioned.
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