- 5 months ago
A massive political controversy has erupted in West Bengal over alleged electronic voting machine tampering and unauthorised access to strong rooms ahead of the counting day.
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00:00Good evening, you're watching NewsTrack with me, Maria Shakil.
00:03A massive storm is brewing in Bengal over strong rooms and alleged EVM tampering.
00:09A high-voltage political showdown involving the Thrinamur Congress, the BJP and the Election Commission is already underway.
00:16While the TMC claims EVMs have been manipulated, the Election Commission has denied any wrongdoing.
00:22The BJP has countered, calling it a political theatre as TMC, according to the party, is nearing its exit on
00:29May 4th.
00:30And amidst the strong room drama, the Thrinamur Congress has also moved the Supreme Court over counting.
00:36It is seeking vigil by the state government employees.
00:41With exit polls already fueling speculation and projections suggesting an edge for the BJP,
00:47the stakes have become even more higher, turning the post-poll atmosphere into a charged battleground
00:53of numbers, narratives, allegations and also political messaging.
00:58And before I bring in the guests, here's a report.
01:05What is Bengal without Bawal?
01:07A storm is brewing over strong rooms and the stakes couldn't be higher.
01:11Allegations of EVM tampering, midnight protests and a fierce face-off between the TMC, BJP and the Election Commission.
01:21It began with a dharna in Kolkata on Thursday.
01:24TMC leaders Kunal Khosh and Shashi Panja are raising alarms over alleged unauthorised access to strong rooms.
01:32Then came the Chief Minister herself, claiming her party's representatives were blocked from oversight.
01:39From the streets to the strong room gates, CM Mamata stormed into a school in Bhabanipur,
01:45alleging manipulation and throwing down the gauntlet that this fight is far from over.
02:09The election commission isn't backing down either.
02:13It has dismissed the charges as baseless.
02:15The poll body has insisted that every strong room is sealed, secure and under watch.
02:47The BJP has hit back, calling it a political theater.
02:51Bengal L.O.P. Swendu Adhikari has accused Mamata Banerjee of playing the sympathy card as the ground slips.
02:58He has also inspected the same strong room that CA Mamata inspected on Thursday.
03:16The deployment has increased around strong rooms in the state.
03:20This, as tempers rise and narratives collide.
03:24A TMC delegation has also met the West Bengal CEO.
03:29We are not apprised that this kind of activity of postal ballots, etc. will take place.
03:34Now, if postal ballots are also being aggregated or, you know, settled into different districts,
03:41why was no political representative present for that?
03:44It's not that we are getting nervous.
03:45Rules have to be followed.
03:47Just plout all rules.
03:50And last moment, you know, they keep changing their own rules.
03:54The timing is crucial.
03:57All of this is coming after the exit poll projections.
04:00Exit polls hint at the BJP edge in Bengal.
04:03Though, the battle still hangs on a knife's edge.
04:07If these trends hold, it won't just be a win.
04:11It will be a political earthquake.
04:14Needless to say, years of groundwork are now facing the defining moment.
04:20Several key strategists of the BJP like Amit Shah, Hupendra Yadav, Dharmendra Pradhan
04:25have worked relentlessly towards this point.
04:28Because the road to Nabanno was never easy.
04:32From about eight states in 2014 to over 20 now, the BJP is at its peak.
04:39It has steadily expanded its footprint across India.
04:43And now, all eyes are on West Bengal.
04:47A victory here could mark a watershed moment in its larger national strategy,
04:52breaking into one of the last major regional strongholds.
05:02For the saffron party, this is more than just another electoral contest.
05:06It is, in many ways, an ideological homecoming.
05:10An ideological homecoming to the land of Shama Prasad Mukherjee,
05:14the founder of the Bharatiya Janasang.
05:16Because this isn't just an ordinary election.
05:19It's a battle for narrative, identity and political dominance.
05:25With Tapas Sengupta, Anirban Sinha, Aastha Bhardwaj, India Today.
05:32And joining me now, Sanju Verma, National Spokesperson of the BJP.
05:36We have Dr. Shantanu Sen of the Trinamool Congress as well.
05:41Sanju Verma, beginning with you, the Trinamool Congress is saying
05:45that everything that has happened in the run-up to elections
05:49and also in the run-up to counting is unusual.
05:51Even the fact that the state government officials and employees
05:56are not being allowed inside,
05:59will not be allowed inside the counting station is unprecedented.
06:04They are raising questions with regards to the Election Commission's conduct.
06:09They have taken the battle to the Supreme Court.
06:12Why such unusual calls?
06:16You know, Maria, let's get one thing very clear.
06:18First and foremost, I think the Chief Election Commissioner,
06:22Yanesh Kumar no less,
06:23has done a stupendous job,
06:25a fabulous job,
06:26a phenomenal job.
06:28And everybody out there
06:29who's maligning the electoral process in West Bengal
06:33is simply rattled.
06:35I want to say one thing to you.
06:37A 92% average turnout in West Bengal is historic.
06:42No violence.
06:43By and large, peaceful elections.
06:45And, you know,
06:46strong room may look who's gay.
06:48You know,
06:48the Election Commission is BJP's puppet.
06:51And, you know,
06:51look at the language used by Kalyan Banerji.
06:54Amit Shah is a gunda.
06:55These are signs of a party
06:57which can read the writing on the wall.
06:59They have finally woken up
07:01and decided to smell the coffee.
07:03And what the coffee is telling you,
07:06what the coffee beans are telling you
07:08is that
07:08Because remember one thing,
07:12in 2011,
07:13when the Mamata Banerji's
07:15TMC dispensation
07:16dislodged the CPIM,
07:19the voter turnout
07:21that time was also a record 84.75%.
07:25And go back and listen to
07:26Mamata Banerji's speeches of 2011.
07:28She said,
07:29I have dislodged
07:30after more than three decades
07:32the CPIM
07:32and the biggest vindication is
07:34the record turnout
07:36of almost 85%.
07:37And we are saying exactly that.
07:39Okay.
07:40That was 2011.
07:41Now is 2026.
07:42We are saying,
07:43Mamata Banerji,
07:44under you,
07:45West Bengal became lawless.
07:47The conviction rate
07:48for crimes against women
07:49is 1.2%.
07:50The hua to hua attitude,
07:53arjikar rape,
07:53you said hua to hua.
07:54Who cares?
07:55The Park Street rape,
07:57you said hua to hua.
07:58The South Kolkata law college rape,
08:00you said hua to hua.
08:01The Durgaapur rape horror,
08:03you said hua to hua.
08:04And when I say you,
08:05I'm the sitting chief minister,
08:07Mamata Banerji.
08:08And tell me one thing,
08:10just one last point.
08:12You can't have your cake
08:13and eat it too.
08:14Mamata Banerji
08:15and her acolytes like Derek O'Brien
08:17who can't win the society election
08:19and Mahua Moitra
08:19who sold her parliamentary login
08:21for a pair of Ferragamo heels
08:23and a bottle of Chanel.
08:24They need to decide.
08:26Either they are very confident
08:28they will win
08:28or they know that they are going to lose.
08:30You can't be speaking in too many would say
08:33that many would say also Chanju Varma
08:36and Dr. Shantanu Sen
08:38can come in on this
08:39that Mamata Banerji
08:40is known as a street fighter.
08:42Till the time
08:43the last vote is counted,
08:44she will do everything
08:45to ensure
08:46that the processes
08:47are in place
08:48according to her.
08:49She thinks that
08:50this is a breach of protocol,
08:51that there is an unusual decision
08:53which has been taken
08:54by the election commission
08:55and that's why
08:55she has challenged
08:56the Calcutta High Court's order
08:58in the Supreme Court.
08:59Dr. Shantanu Sen
08:59come in now.
09:02Yeah, I would like
09:04Madam Sanju Varma
09:05to remain happy
09:06for another 44, 48 hours only
09:09because the way people
09:11in the state of West Bengal
09:13have voted
09:14not only to give
09:15a befitting reply
09:16to the anti-Bengal
09:17and anti-Bengali
09:18Bharatiya Janata Party
09:20who has deleted
09:2291 lakhs of voters
09:23from the voter list
09:25unethically, unconstitutionally
09:27who has held
09:28withheld 92,002 lakhs
09:31crores of rupees
09:32who has insulted
09:34people of Bengal
09:35like anything
09:35for speaking Bengali
09:37who has disrespected
09:39the cultural icons
09:40of the place
09:41of the state of West Bengal
09:42just get ready
09:44to get a befitting reply
09:45on 4th of May.
09:47The people of Bengal
09:48stood in the queue
09:49not only to vote
09:50for the Renewal Congress
09:51not only to support
09:53the developmental activities
09:56and social welfare projects
09:57of Mamata Banerjee
09:58but to give a befitting reply
10:01to this anti-Bengal
10:02and anti-Bengali
10:03Bharatiya Janata Party
10:04which will be clear
10:05after 12 o'clock
10:07on 4th of May.
10:09Get ready for this data.
10:10Since you are confident
10:37I am coming to you
10:40the way they have replaced
10:42more than 425 government officials
10:46starting from the
10:47lady chief secretary
10:48home secretary
10:48DG
10:49commissioners of police
10:51and 142 ICs and OCs
10:53of several police stations
10:5413 district magistrates
10:56nearly 72 returning officers
10:58the way they have brought
11:00the police observers
11:01from the BJP rule states
11:03and the police observer
11:04like who claims to be
11:07the encounter specialist
11:08like Mr. Ajaypal Sharma
11:10the way this Bharatiya Janata Party
11:12they have used the central force
11:14as their political tool
11:15against the Trinidad
11:18Congress
11:18candid Trinidad
11:19Congress
11:19cadres the common voters
11:21the sense is
11:25yes Sanju Varma
11:26that everybody will say
11:27that election commission
11:28did a fairly good job
11:30in ensuring that
11:31the elections
11:31in the state of Bengal
11:33were without any violence
11:36barring sporadic incidents
11:37of violence
11:38has been largely peaceful
11:39something that the state
11:41would not have seen
11:41in decades
11:42but overall
11:43the role of election commission
11:45has been under the scanner
11:46be it the timing
11:47of the SIR
11:49the nature of deployment
11:50and even that
11:52entire controversy
11:54around the encounter cop
11:56who was sent
11:57specifically
11:59to South 24 Parganas
12:01which is seen
12:02to be minority dominated
12:05you know Maria
12:06let's get one thing
12:07very clear
12:07first and foremost
12:08very politely to you
12:09election commission
12:11did not do a fairly good job
12:13election commission
12:14did a stellar job
12:15it did a fabulous job
12:17those were my exact words
12:18you're a very smart journalist
12:19I just want to say one thing
12:21should Sanju Varma
12:23or Dr. Shantanu Sen
12:24teach Maria Shakil
12:25how to anchor
12:26no
12:26so don't teach
12:28the election commissioner
12:29don't teach
12:29Gyanesh Kumar
12:30his job
12:31wide article 324
12:33325
12:34and 326
12:35of the constitution
12:36if paramilitary forces
12:38have been deployed
12:39that is legitimate
12:40that is kosher
12:42and if you have a problem
12:43go and knock on the doors
12:45of the supreme court
12:45but I want to just say
12:46one thing very quickly
12:47SIR
12:48SIR
12:49SIR
12:50705 judicial officers
12:53mandated by the supreme court
12:55conducted an adjudication process
12:58after which 27 lakh voters
13:01were declared invalid
13:02only during the adjudication process
13:05and the court said
13:06let these people approach
13:08the appellate tribunals
13:09and if they are found valid
13:11in future elections
13:12they can vote
13:13so the supreme court
13:14has called out the bluff
13:15of Mamata Banerji
13:16but before
13:17you know
13:18doing a full stop
13:20to my
13:21you know
13:22verbosity
13:22I want to say one thing
13:24after the IPAC case
13:26what did the supreme court
13:27tell Mamata Banerji
13:28how can a city chief minister
13:30barge into an ongoing investigation
13:32what tomorrow
13:33if other chief ministers
13:34start doing this
13:35you are destroying
13:36the concept of
13:37cooperative federalism
13:38then when Mamata Banerji
13:40froze dearness allowances
13:42of government employees
13:43in West Bengal
13:44what did the supreme court tell her
13:45it castigated her
13:47telling her
13:48you have destroyed
13:49the very concept
13:50of a welfare state
13:51and Dr. Shantanu Sen
13:53very quickly
13:54let me remind you
13:55after the panchayat elections
13:56of 2023
13:57the supreme court
13:59told Mamata Banerji
14:00the license
14:01to hold elections
14:02does not give you
14:03the license
14:04to conduct
14:05bloodshed
14:06and if you are not
14:07able to maintain
14:08law and order
14:09let us know
14:10we will find
14:11an alternative mechanism
14:12Dr. Shantanu Sen
14:13Dr. Shantanu Sen
14:15the issue
14:17of law and order
14:18certainly resonates
14:20with people on the ground
14:21I have been on the ground
14:23covering elections
14:24of course we will know
14:25about the mandate
14:26only on 4th
14:27but one does hear
14:29a lot about
14:30women speaking
14:31about this issue
14:32of safety and security
14:33as well
14:35yeah just now
14:36I came to know
14:37from reliable sources
14:38that after listening
14:39to Madam Sanju Burma
14:40the horses
14:42have started laughing
14:43Sanju Burma
14:45is talking about
14:46cooperative federalism
14:47which has been
14:48totally ruined
14:49by this BJP
14:51Sanju Burma
14:52is talking about
14:53Ganesh Kumar
14:54who is Mr. Ganesh Kumar
14:55he happened to be
14:57the principal secretary
14:58of the corporate
14:59department of
15:00government of India
15:00Ganesh Kumar
15:01is a super daddy
15:02he's a super boss
15:04currency
15:04come on
15:05come on
15:05come on
15:07please let me finish
15:08okay let's get him finished
15:10Sanju ji
15:11Sanju ji
15:12he was patiently
15:13listened to you
15:15Sanju ji
15:15he was patiently
15:16listened to you
15:17we should explain
15:18the same question
15:20Dr. Sen
15:21please go ahead
15:22you keep abusing
15:23the Supreme Court
15:24the Kolkata
15:24ma'am
15:27he need to speak
15:28okay let's have
15:29Dr. Shantin Hussain
15:30yes go ahead
15:31and the anchor
15:31sitting on the chair
15:32must be playing
15:33an impartial role
15:34who is Mr. Ganesh Kumar
15:36he happened to be
15:37the principal secretary
15:38of the cooperation
15:39department of government
15:40of India
15:41headed by Mr. Ramit Shah
15:43in the year
15:442023
15:45the bill
15:47was closed
15:48in the parliament
15:49changing the pattern
15:50forming
15:51central election commission
15:54in case of
15:55Chief Justice
15:56Supreme Court
15:57Home Minister
15:59Ramit Shah
15:59was brought in
16:00and
16:01Naurana Modi
16:02and Navid Shah
16:02they both
16:03together
16:04brought
16:05this
16:05Ganesh Kumar
16:06as the
16:06Chief Election
16:07Commission
16:08No but why
16:09didn't you say
16:10the same charge
16:11against the
16:12election commission
16:13when you got
16:15a convincing
16:16mandate in the
16:17looks of our
16:17elections
16:18Dr. Shantin Hussain
16:19425 officials
16:21has been changed
16:22more than
16:23425
16:25officials
16:25have been changed
16:28by this
16:28Ganesh Kumar
16:29and the
16:30central force
16:31during the
16:322024
16:33parliament election
16:36I am coming
16:37to you ma'am
16:37in fact
16:38there is a
16:38piece of
16:38breaking news
16:39and this is
16:40by what the
16:41Trilamul Congress
16:42has put out
16:43on their
16:43official handle
16:46and they
16:47are saying
16:47that this is
16:48after their
16:49delegation
16:50met
16:51the CEO
16:52of West
16:53Bengal
16:54and they
16:54have registered
16:55a strong
16:55objection
16:56regarding
16:57the repeated
16:57and highly
16:58suspicious
16:58disruptions
16:59in CCTV
17:00surveillance
17:01and I
17:01will ask
17:01the producer
17:02to put
17:03those flashes
17:04on the
17:04television screens
17:06and the
17:07point that
17:07has been
17:08made by
17:08the Trilamul
17:09Congress
17:09here is
17:10that this
17:10is a
17:10deliberate
17:11and direct
17:12violation
17:12of the
17:13ECI
17:14own
17:15guidelines
17:16which
17:16clearly
17:17mandates
17:1724-7
17:18uninterrupted
17:19CCTV
17:19surveillance
17:20with
17:21continuous
17:22reporting
17:22and access
17:23for
17:23authorized
17:23party
17:24representatives
17:25and hence
17:26the Trilamul
17:26Congress
17:27is now
17:28demanding
17:29that there
17:29has to
17:30be
17:30an immediate
17:31report
17:31on all
17:32instances
17:32of CCTV
17:33malfunction
17:34disruption
17:34or
17:36downtown
17:36and
17:38downtime
17:38they have
17:39also said
17:39that
17:40restore
17:40all CCTV
17:41systems
17:41to full
17:43uninterrupted
17:43functionality
17:44and any
17:45attempt to
17:45tamper with
17:46the mandate
17:46of the
17:47people
17:47through
17:48technical
17:48sabotage
17:49will not
17:49be tolerated
17:50some very
17:51very sharp
17:51reactions
17:52coming in
17:52here
17:53from the
17:53Trilamul
17:54Congress
17:54a quick
17:55word from
17:55you
17:55Ms.
17:56Verma
17:58Maria
17:59I fail
18:00to
18:00understand
18:00why is
18:01it
18:02that we
18:02don't
18:02see
18:03any
18:03major
18:04complaints
18:04against
18:05the
18:05electoral
18:06process
18:06in
18:07Tamil Nadu
18:07in Kerala
18:08in Puducherry
18:09in Assam
18:10why is
18:11it
18:11that
18:12West
18:12Bengal
18:12always
18:13is an
18:13outlier
18:14case
18:14it is
18:15because
18:16Mamuta
18:16Banerji
18:17knows
18:18that she
18:18is
18:18decimated
18:19I want
18:19to tell
18:19you one
18:20thing
18:20before
18:21somebody
18:22makes
18:22reckless
18:22allegations
18:23let's
18:24look at
18:24the track
18:24record
18:25of the
18:25person
18:25Rajiv
18:26Kumar
18:27the
18:27former
18:28DGP
18:29of West
18:29Bengal
18:29who
18:30continues
18:31to be
18:31accused
18:32in the
18:32Narada
18:33and Sarada
18:33scam
18:34what has
18:34Mamuta
18:35Banerji
18:35done
18:35she promoted
18:37him by
18:37giving him
18:38a Rajya
18:39Sabha
18:39nomination
18:40then let's
18:41talk about
18:42let's talk about
18:43Benita
18:43Guru
18:44Swami
18:48I'm going
18:49to give
18:50you the
18:50last word
18:50Dr.
18:51Shantanu
18:5130 seconds
18:52to you
18:53Ms.
18:53Varma
18:53please wrap
18:54it up
18:54yes
18:55what
18:56happened
18:56with
18:57Menaka
18:57Guru
18:57Swami
18:58she
18:58actually
18:59fought
18:59on behalf
19:00of the
19:00West
19:01Bengal
19:01Mamuta
19:02Banerji
19:02led
19:03dispensation
19:03in the
19:04RGK
19:04rape case
19:05and
19:05Menaka
19:06Guru
19:06Swami
19:06was
19:07given
19:07a
19:07Rajya
19:08Sabha
19:08nomination
19:08too
19:09so
19:09basically
19:10the
19:10point
19:10I'm
19:10trying
19:10to
19:11highlight
19:11is
19:11Mamuta
19:12Banerji
19:13has
19:13always
19:13student
19:14solidarity
19:15with
19:15the
19:16other
19:16side
19:16the
19:17wrong
19:17side
19:17so
19:18I'm
19:18not
19:18surprised
19:19that
19:19she
19:19says
19:20I have
19:20just
19:20enough
19:20time
19:21for
19:21Dr.
19:21Shantanu
19:21Sen
19:22ma'am
19:22I'm
19:22going
19:23to
19:23I'm
19:23sure
19:23you'll
19:24join
19:24us
19:24on
19:24the
19:25results
19:25day
19:25as
19:25well
19:25so
19:26Dr.
19:26Sen
19:26you get
19:26the
19:27last
19:2730
19:28seconds
19:28please
19:28go ahead
19:28sir
19:31I
19:32think
19:32Madam
19:32Sanju
19:33Burma
19:33has
19:33forgotten
19:33the
19:34issue
19:34of
19:34Ranjan
19:34Gagai
19:35who
19:36after
19:36giving
19:36a
19:37satisfactory
19:37judgment
19:43believes
19:44in
19:44public
19:45mandate
19:45people
19:46mandate
19:46and
19:47the
19:47people
19:47mandate
19:48goes
19:48in
19:49favor
19:49of
19:49Srinivul
19:50and
19:50goes
19:51against
19:51anti
19:52Bengal
19:52and
19:52anti
19:53Bhali
19:53Barat
19:53Jan
19:53Party
19:54let's
19:55see
19:55which
19:56is
19:56the
19:57narrative
19:57which
19:58has
19:59the
19:59people
19:59of
19:59Bengal
20:00vote
20:00for
20:01and
20:01which
20:01party
20:02that
20:02they
20:02feel
20:03has
20:03convinced
20:04them
20:04in
20:04this
20:04narrative
20:05setting
20:05Sanju
20:06Warman
20:06Dr.
20:07Sen
20:07really
20:07appreciate
20:07your
20:08time
20:08thank
20:08you
20:08for
20:09joining
20:09us
20:09on
20:10this
20:10edition
20:13of
20:13watching