Kolkata, March 10 – West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Tuesday, called off her indefinite sit-in protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) in West Bengal, which began in the afternoon of February 6, at Esplanade in Kolkata.
Announcing the withdrawal of the protest on Tuesday evening, the Chief Minister said that since the Supreme Court's judgment on the SIR had opened further avenues for justice, and following the request of Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, she had decided to call off the protest.
"I could have continued with the sit-in demonstration for even 50 days, had I wished. I had been on a continuous hunger strike for 26 days, concerning land acquisition at Singur in the Hooghly district. But since the Supreme Court's verdict on the SIR had opened further avenues for justice, and following the request of Abhishek Banerjee, I have decided to withdraw my sit-in protest. However, our movement on this issue and against the SIR will continue until the people receive full justice," Chief Minister Banerjee stated.
According to the Chief Minister, the next hearing in the matter in the apex court is on March 25, and there is a possibility that the dates for the upcoming Assembly elections in West Bengal might be announced by March 15.
"But since the Supreme Court will then be in charge, this episode will not end. Whatever the Supreme Court observed today was based on our suggestions," Chief Minister Banerjee claimed.
She also accused the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar of deliberately trying to delay the upcoming elections for West Bengal.
"The Supreme Court has also said that it would consider the West Bengal matter as a special case. The Supreme Court has the power to include the names of voters in the voters' list even a day before the election," the Chief Minister said.
Abhishek Banerjee said that the Supreme Court has criticised the ECI on Tuesday.
"The Calcutta High Court has been directed by the apex court to set up an Appellate Tribunal Bench of former judges, so that those whose names are being deleted will have a chance to apply again. This victory is a victory for democracy," he added.
He also said that at the press conference earlier on Tuesday, the CEC deliberately avoided several questions from the journalists.