West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday launched a fierce critique of the BJP-led Union government and the Election Commission while observing Constitution Day in Kolkata. Standing beside the statue of Dr B. R. Ambedkar on Red Road, Banerjee said the country was facing an unprecedented moment where citizens were being compelled to “prove” their identity decades after independence.
“We all have to prove whether we are rightful citizens or not, after so many years of independence. This is hurtful,” she said. “Thus, on this Constitution Day, standing at the feet of Dr B R Ambedkar, I pledge to save the framework of our Constitution. This Constitution is not at the mercy of those who are in power now. They didn’t even fight for independence.”
The Chief Minister held up a copy of the Preamble and read out its core values - “sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic” - asserting that these founding principles were under threat. She accused the ruling BJP of undermining the spirit of Ambedkar’s vision, claiming that the present climate was eroding constitutional guarantees and democratic norms.
Election Commission’s ongoing SIR (Special Intensive revision) exercise again came in for sharp criticism, with Banerjee alleging that the process was rushed and coercive. “This is not about Hindu-Muslim. This is about human rights,” she said, reiterating that her government was not opposed to SIR as a policy but to the manner in which it was being executed. “We said we will support it. But they should take time. Do it over three years - no harm. But you can’t hastily do this and push people to the edge.”
She pointed out that most citizens facing distress due to SIR belonged to the Hindu community and repeated her earlier claim that several deaths linked to the pressure of SIR-related duties had also occurred in BJP-ruled states.
“BLOs have died in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan too; they are all BJP-ruled states. What is this arrogance they have?” Banerjee asked. “I stand by all the BLOs across the country. I urge people not to end their lives. Your life is more valuable than anything else.”
In a direct political swipe, she said the BJP’s belief that it would “continue forever” in power was misplaced. “They are thinking today they are in power and they will continue forever. Their government may fall even before 2029,” she remarked. Bengal, Banerjee said, would remain committed to defending pluralism and constitutional rights. “We are part and parcel of India. We are not outside India. Bengal always fights for the unity and diversity of the country,” she said and concluded by saying “constitution will survive…beyond BJP…”
