BJP alleges TMC hand in gherao of judicial officers, Trinamool blames EC for incident

Suti/Sagardighi (WB): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday put the BJP and the Election Commission in the same dock over the Malda judicial officers gherao, accusing Union Home Minister Amit Shah of scripting a "blueprint of conspiracy" to foment unrest in Bengal and ultimately pave the way for President's rule ahead of the assembly polls.

Addressing rallies at Sagardighi and Suti in Murshidabad district, Banerjee struck a note of restraint even as she sharpened her attack, asking people not to fall into the "BJP's trap" of riots, blaming the Election Commission for "failing to protect" the judicial officers and asserting that she was fighting the battle politically despite having been stripped of administrative powers after the poll panel's intervention.

"My powers have been taken away and Bengal has been defamed. Nobody from the administration even informed me about the Malda incident," she said, referring to the gherao of seven judicial officers engaged in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise over alleged deletion of names from the electoral rolls.

Backing the apex court's observations, Banerjee said, "The Supreme Court has rightly said so." The Supreme Court came down heavily on the West Bengal administration for their alleged inaction over the "deplorable" gherao and attack on seven judicial officers in Malda district during the SIR drive and ordered an independent probe by the CBI or NIA.

Condemning the incident, Banerjee said people had the right to protest but "no one should touch the judges or judicial officers", and alleged that the Malda episode was being used to "defame the whole of Bengal".

"The BJP has made many plans and the Government of India is acting as its accomplice. Amit Shah is preparing the blueprint of a conspiracy. I appeal to all of you - do not fall into the trap of riots. This is the BJP's plan," Banerjee said at the Suti rally.

The TMC supremo repeatedly urged her supporters not to respond to provocation and sought to portray the BJP as a party banking on polarisation and tension after failing to win Bengal electorally.

"They think they will win through muscle power. They think they can snatch victory by force. I appeal to everyone -- do not indulge in riots or violence. Remain calm. However much the BJP attacks Bengal, Bengal will win again," she said.

In a politically loaded remark, Banerjee said people must ensure through their votes that those behind such attempts are punished.

"Those trying to divide people in the name of religion must be defeated democratically," she said.

The chief minister's remarks came against the backdrop of Wednesday's dramatic developments in Malda, where judicial officers involved in the SIR process were surrounded by agitated locals alleging that genuine voters' names had been deleted from electoral rolls.

The Supreme Court in a scathing indictment of the state administration, the top court said the incident "also exposes complete failure of the state administration" and observed that West Bengal is the "most polarised state".

The court asked the Election Commission to "requisition adequate Central Forces and deploy them at all places where judicial officers are adjudicating the objections" in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls in the poll-bound state.

Banerjee condemned the gherao, but simultaneously blamed the Election Commission for what she called its failure to protect the officers.

"No one should touch the judges or judicial officers. People have every right to protest, but nobody should lay hands on them," she said.

At her first rally at Sagardighi, Banerjee said she was shocked that the EC, despite taking control of the administration after the announcement of elections, failed to ensure the officers' security.

"I condemn the Election Commission for failing to protect the judicial officers," she said.

Claiming that the EC had already stripped the state government of its authority by transferring senior officials and posting its own officers in key positions, Banerjee said the poll panel could no longer evade responsibility.

"All my powers have been taken away. I have never seen such an Election Commission," she said.

Soon after the announcement of the assembly polls, the EC had replaced several senior officers in Bengal, including the chief secretary, home secretary and the director general of police.

Referring to the Malda incident, Banerjee said attempts were being made to malign the entire state.

"What happened in Malda has been used to defame the whole of Bengal. The CBI and NIA have been brought in. Notices have been issued. But who created the situation? Why did such anger build up among people?" she asked.

The chief minister maintained that those involved in the violence were not members of the Trinamool Congress and hinted at a larger political design behind the unrest.

"I do not support violence. I stand for peace. Those who created the trouble are not from our party. I know which political party is behind it. The BJP also has a plan in this," she said.

Banerjee alleged that the BJP's larger strategy was to create enough instability and communal tension to justify extraordinary intervention in Bengal.

"The BJP's game plan is to get the elections cancelled and then impose President's Rule in Bengal," she said.

Banerjee claimed that voter deletion was not confined to a few pockets but was taking place across the state, including in her own Bhabanipur assembly constituency.

"Do you think only your names have been deleted? In my Bhabanipur constituency alone, 40,000 names have been deleted. They are removing names one by one like lice are picked out from hair. Most of them belong to minorities, poor women and Hindu mothers and sisters," she said.

The SIR exercise has emerged as one of the biggest flashpoints in the run-up to the 2026 assembly polls, with the Trinamool Congress claiming that the names of minorities, Bengali-speaking migrants and economically weaker sections are being disproportionately targeted.