‘1 Crore Rohingyas, Bangladeshi Muslims’: Suvendu Adhikari Demands Bihar-Like Voter Roll Audit in Bengal

Amid a deepening political controversy over the Bihar SIR (State-wide Intensive Revision) exercise, BJP leader and Leader of Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, has stirred a fresh row by calling for a similar overhaul of electoral rolls in the state.

Adhikari alleged that West Bengal’s voter list includes nearly one crore Rohingya immigrants, Bangladeshi Muslim voters, deceased individuals, and duplicate entries, urging the Election Commission of India (ECI) to take immediate corrective measures.

Speaking to reporters in Howrah, Adhikari claimed the electoral rolls were “riddled with irregularities,” and warned that the credibility of elections in the state was at stake.

“There are nearly one crore Rohingya immigrants, Bangladeshi Muslim voters, deceased voters, duplicate entries, and fake voters in West Bengal. The Election Commission must act now,” he told ANI.

The remarks come amid intensifying clashes between the BJP-led NDA and the opposition INDIA bloc over the Bihar SIR initiative. While the NDA defends it as an exercise to clean up voter lists, the opposition accuses the government of attempting to manipulate voter data ahead of upcoming state elections.

Meanwhile, West Bengal BJP president Samik Bhattacharya echoed Adhikari’s concerns, accusing the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of actively aiding infiltrators to protect its electoral base.

“From Barasat to Madhyamgram, fake voter cards have been issued to Bangladeshi nationals with the active involvement of local TMC leaders. BLOs are being threatened to keep bogus names on the rolls,” Bhattacharya alleged.

He accused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s government of using state machinery to shield illegal immigrants from both Bangladesh and the Rohingya community, asserting the ruling party was “ringing its own death knell” through such actions.

The Election Commission of India has not yet officially responded to these serious allegations.

In a parallel development, Congress MP and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi made explosive claims regarding electoral manipulation, alleging that the ECI itself was complicit in aiding the BJP.

“Votes are being stolen. We have open-and-shut proof that the Election Commission is enabling vote theft to benefit the BJP. When we release it, the entire country will know,” Gandhi said.

The ECI swiftly rejected Gandhi’s remarks, urging citizens not to fall for politically motivated claims and reaffirming its commitment to impartiality.

As tensions escalate across multiple states, the integrity of India’s electoral processes has once again become a flashpoint in the run-up to key assembly elections.