Delimitation is the BJP’s tool to divide Bengal and India, says Mamata

West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led Union Government of using the Delimitation Bill to divide West Bengal and India. The Congress leader made the allegations at an election rally in Howrah. According to Banerjee, the BJP is implementing the delimitation exercise despite lacking a clear majority at the Centre, which requires support from two other parties to maintain power.

The Trinamool Congress chairperson further stated that the BJP is attempting to secure political gains at a time when they do not hold a majority in Parliament. The Union Government has introduced three bills to facilitate fresh delimitation based on the latest census data, which would increase the Lok Sabha's strength from 545 to a possible 850 members.

Additionally, the bills aim to reserve one-third of parliamentary and state assembly seats for women. Banerjee warned that the delimitation process will be followed by the National Register of Citizens (NRC), which could lead to more people being excluded and potentially placed in detention camps. She accused the BJP of selectively removing voters, with over 60 lakh Hindus and 30 lakh Muslims names being deleted in a recent Special Intensive Revision.

The West Bengal Chief Minister argued that the BJP's agenda involves merging certain districts of Bengal with Bihar and Odisha, further exacerbating the region's demographic and geographical changes. Banerjee vowed that her government would not permit the establishment of detention camps.