West Bengal Minister Threatens "Breaking Legs" of Election Commission Over CAA Implementation Concerns

West Bengal Minister Firhad Hakim has created controversy with his inflammatory remarks, threatening that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) would "break the legs" of both the Election Commission (EC) and the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) if any irregularities occurred during the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in the state.

While the poll body has not yet responded to these comments, the BJP has strongly criticized the state government, accusing it of "inciting violence" by allegedly protecting "illegal infiltrators."

Hakim made these contentious statements following a Trinamool-organized all-party meeting regarding the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. This process, similar to one implemented in Bihar, has sparked significant political debate nationwide ahead of next year's Bengal assembly elections.

"At the all-party meeting organized by the All India Trinamool Congress, I clearly stated that we will protest if even one genuine voter's name is removed from the list," said Hakim, who is known to be a close associate of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

He further escalated his rhetoric by adding, "Regarding the camps being established under the pretext of implementing the Citizenship Amendment Act, if this is happening through collaboration between the BJP and the EC... we will protest and if necessary, we will break their legs."

BJP National Spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari condemned the minister's statements, saying on social media platform X: "Mamta Banerjee's right hand Boby Hakim says: 'We will break the leg of Election Commission' for SIR! Open threat to Constitutional Body by TMC! For protecting 'illegal infiltrators' TMC inciting violence!"

Bhandari further questioned: "Mamta Banerjee earlier had as Chief & Home Minister warned of riots! Is TMC planning state sponsored violence for vote bank consolidation in Bengal?"

The CAA, enacted in December 2019, provides Indian nationality to persecuted Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhist, Parsi, and Christian migrants from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan who arrived in India before December 31, 2014.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has previously stated that she would oppose the CAA, the rules for which were notified last year, if it discriminated against people.

On Monday, the EC announced plans to conduct phase two of the SIR across 12 states and Union Territories between November and February, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Chhattisgarh, Goa, Gujarat, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal.

The CPI(M) has called for transparent publication of the voters' list, while the Congress has questioned the exercise, suggesting that the poll body's intentions and credibility were suspect as neither voters nor opposition parties were satisfied with the process.

In response to these criticisms, Bengal Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Manoj Agarwal assured on Tuesday that not a single genuine voter would be removed from the electoral rolls following the completion of the SIR in the state.

"I would like to reassure everyone that no legitimate voter's name will be excluded from the list. We are confident that it will be a completely fair voter list," Agarwal told reporters.