{"id":311395,"date":"2026-03-11T16:40:35","date_gmt":"2026-03-11T11:10:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/?p=311395"},"modified":"2026-05-07T10:42:46","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T05:12:46","slug":"if-were-not-here-it-will-take-a-second-mamata-banerjee-fuels-communal-fears-ahead-of-polls","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.altnews.in\/english-clone-2026\/if-were-not-here-it-will-take-a-second-mamata-banerjee-fuels-communal-fears-ahead-of-polls\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018If we\u2019re not here, it will take a second…\u2019: Mamata Banerjee fuels communal fears ahead of polls"},"content":{"rendered":"

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee<\/span><\/span>, while addressing supporters from her dharna stage against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on March 9, made remarks laced with communal insinuations that amount to fear-mongering ahead of elections.<\/p>\n

The All India Trinamool Congress<\/span><\/span> launched a protest against the SIR exercise at Esplanade<\/span><\/span> from March 6. The party alleged that the revision process was leading to the arbitrary deletion of names from voter rolls and demanded that \u201cgenuine voters\u201d be restored to the electoral lists.<\/p>\n

During her speech on March 9, Banerjee addressed a familiar allegation raised by the BJP that her party had facilitated the entry of Muslims into the state from Bangladesh. Speaking in Hindi, she said, \u201cWhy do you keep saying that I or we brought Muslims into the state? If someone is to be questioned for that, it should be Gandhi Ji during independence. Question Nehru ji. Question Rajendra Prasad. Question Ambedkar. You weren\u2019t even born back then.\u201d<\/p>\n

She then switched to Bengali and suggested that there was social harmony in the state because the Trinamool was in power. \u201cIt is because of us that you are all doing well. If a day comes when we are no longer here, it will take just one second,\u201d Banerjee said. She then warned: \u201cIf a certain community unites and surrounds you, it will take just one second; they will completely finish you off.\u201d<\/p>\n

Her exact words in Bengali were as follows: ”\u0986\u09ae\u09b0\u09be \u0986\u099b\u09bf \u09ac\u09b2\u09c7 \u09a8\u09be, \u0986\u09aa\u09a8\u09be\u09b0\u09be \u09b8\u09ac\u09be\u0987 \u09ad\u09be\u09b2 \u0986\u099b\u09c7\u09a8\u0964 \u0986\u09b0 \u09af\u09a6\u09bf \u0986\u09ae\u09b0\u09be \u09a8\u09be\u00a0 \u09a5\u09be\u0995\u09bf, \u0995\u09cb\u09a8\u0993 \u09a6\u09bf\u09a8 \u09b8\u09c7\u0987 \u09b0\u0995\u09ae \u0986\u09b8\u09c7, \u098f\u0995 \u09b8\u09c7\u0995\u09c7\u09a8\u09cd\u09a1 \u09b2\u09be\u0997\u09ac\u09c7! \u098f\u0995\u099f\u09be \u0995\u09ae\u09bf\u0989\u09a8\u09bf\u099f\u09bf \u09af\u0996\u09a8 \u099c\u09cb\u099f \u09ac\u09be\u0981\u09a7\u09c7 \u09a8\u09be, \u0998\u09bf\u09b0\u09c7 \u09ab\u09c7\u09b2\u09b2\u09c7 \u098f\u0995 \u09b8\u09c7\u0995\u09c7\u09a8\u09cd\u09a1\u09c7 \u09a6\u09c7\u09ac\u09c7 \u098f\u0995\u09a6\u09ae \u09ac\u09be\u09b0\u09cb\u099f\u09be \u09ac\u09be\u099c\u09bf\u09df\u09c7…”<\/p>\n

Later in the speech, Banerjee attempted to strike a conciliatory note, stating that people from across India were safe in the state. \u201cCitizens from all states are absolutely safe in Bengal; no one will disturb you. This is our Sonar Bangla,\u201d she said, urging people not to fall for the BJP\u2019s propaganda or attempt to \u201ctarget a particular community.\u201d<\/p>\n

The relevant part of the speech can be heard at the 7.49.35-minute-mark onwards in the following video shared from Banerjee’s official Facebook page:<\/p>\n

\n

Protest against the Bangla Birodhi BJP led SIR conspiracy to undermine democracy and strip Bengal\u2019s legitimate citizens of their voting rights. | 8 March, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

\u09ac\u09be\u0982\u09b2\u09be-\u09ac\u09bf\u09b0\u09cb\u09a7\u09c0 \u0995\u09c7\u09a8\u09cd\u09a6\u09cd\u09b0\u09c0\u09df \u09b8\u09b0\u0995\u09be\u09b0\u09c7\u09b0 SIR-\u098f\u09b0 \u09ae\u09be\u09a7\u09cd\u09af\u09ae\u09c7 \u0997\u09a3\u09a4\u09a8\u09cd\u09a4\u09cd\u09b0 \u09b9\u09a4\u09cd\u09af\u09be\u09b0 \u09aa\u09cd\u09b0\u09a4\u09bf\u09ac\u09be\u09a6\u09c7 \u0993 \u09ac\u09be\u0982\u09b2\u09be\u09b0 \u09ac\u09c8\u09a7 \u09a8\u09be\u0997\u09b0\u09bf\u0995\u09a6\u09c7\u09b0 \u09ad\u09cb\u099f\u09be\u09a7\u09bf\u0995\u09be\u09b0 \u09b9\u09b0\u09a3\u09c7\u09b0 \u099a\u0995\u09cd\u09b0\u09be\u09a8\u09cd\u09a4\u09c7\u09b0 \u09ac\u09bf\u09b0\u09c1\u09a6\u09cd\u09a7\u09c7 \u09a7\u09b0\u09a8\u09be \u0985\u09ac\u09b8\u09cd\u09a5\u09be\u09a8\u09c7 | Protest against the Bangla Birodhi BJP led SIR conspiracy to undermine democracy and strip Bengal\u2019s legitimate citizens of their voting rights. | 8 March, 2026<\/p>\n

Posted by Mamata Banerjee<\/a> on Saturday 7 March 2026<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

The chief minister\u2019s remarks appeared to invoke the spectre of communal violence in an already charged political climate. In suggesting that the safety of communities depends on Trinamool coming back to power, and by conjuring the image of one community \u201csurrounding\u201d and \u201cfinishing off\u201d another, the remarks risked deepening mistrust between communities. Such rhetoric, particularly from a sitting chief minister, could be seen as inflammatory, especially with elections on the horizon.<\/p>\n

The remarks are also significant in the context of the ongoing controversy over the SIR exercise itself. The revision of electoral rolls has already been mired in allegations that minority communities are being disproportionately affected through deletions and documentation requirements. In that backdrop, Banerjee\u2019s speech \u2014 rather than calming anxieties \u2014 reinforces the narrative of communal polarization.<\/p>\n

By invoking a hypothetical scenario of communal retaliation, the chief minister also amplified fears that minorities or majorities could become targets depending on political outcomes. Her remarks sounded like a clear attempt to mobilise voters through fear, by suggesting that communal tensions could spiral if the Trinamool were no longer in power.<\/p>\n

Communal Blackmailing: BJP<\/h4>\n

The chief minister’s remarks drew sharp criticism from various quarters, including her political rivals. BJP’s Darjeeling MP Raju Bista called it\u00a0“outright communal blackmail”.<\/p>\n

“This is what TMC has achieved for West Bengal, playing one community against others, and holding the entire state to hostage. This is also why, TMC needs to be uprooted,” he wrote on X.<\/p>\n

\n

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee’s chilling words: “We exist, that is why all of you are safe. If we were not here, when a certain community comes together as a group and surrounds you, they would finish you off in one second.”<\/p>\n

This is outright communal blackmail.<\/p>\n

This is what\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/sn1qsU2kzC<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Raju Bista (@RajuBistaBJP) March 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

BJP leader Amit Malviya stated in an X post<\/a> that “the days of veiled threats are gone” and Banerjee’s “desperation to polarise society is evident” in her remarks.<\/p>\n

CPI(M) West Bengal state secretary Mohammad Salim sought FIR against Banerjee for her remarks, which, Salim said was meant to “incite one community against another and disrupt the election process.”<\/p>\n

[youtube https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=vmougpbmXLI?si=46EAjwsswK3sq4-3&start=297]<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

CPI(M) West Bengal also shared a video from its X handle which contrasted Banerjee’s remarks against former chief minister Buddhabeb Bhattacharjee’s comments asserting communal harmony in Bengal.<\/p>\n

\n

\u09af\u09a4\u0987 \u09a6\u09c7\u0996\u09be\u0993 \u09ad\u09af\u09bc,
\n\u0986\u09ae\u09b0\u09be \u0995\u09b0\u09ac\u09cb \u099c\u09af\u09bc\u0964#BanglaBachao<\/a> #CPIM<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/ThA7pYlRZY<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 CPI(M) WEST BENGAL (@CPIM_WESTBENGAL) March 10, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, too, condemned the remarks, alleging that the Bengal chief minister was indulging in politics of communal polarization.<\/p>\n

<\/div>\n

 <\/p>\n

West Bengal Congress chief Subhankar Sarkar called the comments “unacceptable” and “unparliamentary” in a pluralistic country and stated that he was pained by the chief minister’s remarks. Reminding Banerjee of the provisions of Indian Constitution, Sarkar urged her to spell out which community, she thought, would finish off another community.<\/p>\n

On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered<\/a> the establishment of tribunals to review appeals regarding exclusions from the voters\u2019 list during the SIR. In light of this decision, the TMC supremo called off the dharna she had been holding, which had entered its fifth day on March 11.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, while addressing supporters from her dharna stage against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls on March 9, made remarks laced with communal insinuations that amount to fear-mongering ahead of elections. The All India Trinamool Congress launched a protest against the SIR exercise at Esplanade from March 6. 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