Mamata Banerjee Cites Bangladesh Election to Criticize Indian Election Commission

Praising the conduct of the 13th National Parliamentary Election in Bangladesh, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader remarked that despite initial fears of widespread violence, the neighboring country successfully held a "peaceful" and "free and fair" vote. She used this example to intensify her criticism of the Election Commission of India (ECI), accusing it of fostering a "culture of intimidation" and a "Tughlaqi" or "Hitler-like" administration.

Mamata Banerjee expressed significant outrage over the ECI's decision to suspend seven state administrative officers, questioning the grounds for such actions. She alleged that the Commission is acting as a "torture commission" under the influence of the BJP to purposely target West Bengal and its voters. Her grievances primarily center around the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls, which she claims is being used to disenfranchise millions of legitimate voters—particularly women, minorities, and the poor—by rejecting valid documents that are otherwise accepted in states like Bihar.

The BJP responded swiftly to these allegations, with local leaders and national spokespersons condemning her comments as "provocative" and "anti-national." Asansol BJP MLA Agnimitra Paul criticized the Chief Minister’s enthusiasm for the Bangladesh election results, alleging that her praise for the process is an attempt to appease specific vote banks and the Jamaat-e-Islami. Meanwhile, BJP MP Sudhanshu Trivedi defended the ECI, stating that India’s electoral system remains one of the most transparent in the world and that the Chief Minister is making these claims out of fear of losing the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections.