Mamata Banerjee questions fairness of the Census, asks whether it’s another SIR

On Tuesday, August 4, 2026, former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her doubts about the ongoing Census exercise in the state, questioning whether it could turn into another Special Intensive Revision (SIR). During a Facebook livestream, Banerjee asserted that the political parties, particularly the Trinamool Congress, were not informed about the Census commencement.

She highlighted that the deletion of voter names during the previous SIR in West Bengal, which resulted in over 90 lakh voters being removed, had sparked a political controversy with accusations of targeting Muslims and implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) indirectly through the Census. Banerjee called for a mass movement to counter BJP's actions, urging all political parties to unite against what she perceived as the BJP's anarchy.

She alleged that the West Bengal government had denied her permission to hold political events and accused the BJP of freezing the party's bank accounts and intimidating legislators. Banerjee also criticized the BJP for allegedly disrespecting Subhash Chandra Bose and other cultural icons, and warned the young generation to remain vigilant, stating that she would return with double strength if the BJP continued to obstruct her.