Union minister of state for education Sukanta Majumdar on Friday alleged that West Bengal chief minister and Trinamul Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee has devised a strategy to delete the names of Hindi-speaking Hindu voters from electoral rolls based on feedback from district magistrates (DMs) and superintendents of police (SPs).

Addressing reporters here today, Mr Majumdar claimed that Miss Banerjee has started implementing this plan after receiving inputs from state administrative officials, who, he alleged, act as TMC’s election machinery. According to him, the chief minister is concerned that the party will not be able to secure a majority if 100 per cent of Hindu voters participate in the elections. As a result, he alleged, the government is branding Hindi-speaking Hindus—particularly those from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and other states—as “outsiders” to justify their removal from voter lists.

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Mr Majumdar further stated that in the last elections, BJP candidates won with a majority of Hindu votes, along with a section of Muslim voters, who supported the party for what he called “real development” in West Bengal.

Citing past election trends, he alleged that in Muslim-dominated constituencies, polling percentages reached as high as 99 per cent, which he described as “doubtful and abnormal.” According to him, TMC rigged votes in these areas, exploiting the fact that many migrant workers were unable to vote due to their livelihoods.

To counter this, Mr Majumdar advocated for the introduction of a biometric voting system, asserting that it would prevent electoral fraud and ensure free and fair elections in West Bengal.

The minister also accused Mamata Banerjee of misleading Muslim voters by deliberately conflating the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

“CAA has been enacted, but NRC has not been implemented. However, the chief minister is strategically creating panic among Muslims by falsely equating the two, just to secure their votes,” Dr Majumdar said.

Responding to Banerjee’s recent showcasing of voter ID discrepancies in Gangarampur, from where he was elected MP, Mr Majumdar argued that migrant workers have the right to transfer their voter cards to their native states if they choose. However, he asserted that their names should not be permanently deleted, as they retain the right to reinstate their voter registration upon return.

The minister visited Siliguri today to participate in a talk show on the Union Budget.