Kolkata, April 11 West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday alleged that the BJP, with the help of the Election Commission, attempted to get her candidature from the Bhabanipur seat in South Kolkata cancelled by filing false cases against her, but this attempt was foiled by TMC workers and the public.
Addressing an election rally at Keshiyari in Paschim Medinipur district, Banerjee accused the BJP of "forcibly" deleting the names of 90 lakh voters from the electoral rolls during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR).
"The BJP, with the EC's help, tried to invalidate my candidature from Bhabanipur by attempting to file false cases against me, but we foiled their plan," Banerjee said, adding that she was contesting against Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari to retain her seat.
She accused the BJP of "plotting to forcibly capture votes through fraudulent means, as they don't have the courage to fight and win elections democratically."
"That's why they are deleting voters' names. They are also planning to tamper with EVMs to ensure their victory," she said.
"Eventually, justice will be served after the BJP's defeat in the assembly polls and their subsequent removal from power in Delhi," the CM said.
"More than 250 people have died due to the SIR exercise. Of the 90 lakh deleted voters, 60 lakh are Hindus while 30 lakh are Muslims. Since we speak in Bengali, are we not Indians? Do we need to constantly prove our citizenship?" she asked.
On the BJP's promise to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in West Bengal if voted to power, Banerjee said that the saffron party wants to impose its diktat on the people through the UCC.
"It would be directed against backward communities and would aim to take away the democratic rights of the people. We will not allow its implementation in West Bengal. We will scrap it once the BJP is finally removed from power in Delhi after our fourth consecutive win in the state," she added.