Suvendu Adhikari leads ‘Parivartan Yatra’ rally, demands ‘proper’ execution of SIR in West Bengal

Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari led a Bharatiya Janta Party rally named ‘Parivartan Yatra’ (walk for change) on Tuesday (November 4) in the outskirts of Kolkata. The protestors demanded that every Bangladeshi infiltrator be deported from the country and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls be completely undertaken across the State.  

This comes as the door-to-door distribution of enumeration forms began in the State on Tuesday (November 4, 2025), and simultaneously Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee held a rally in central Kolkata to protest against the SIR process. 

Earlier in the day on Tuesday, Mr. Adhikari led a BJP delegation and met with the Chief Electoral Officer, West Bengal at his Kolkata office to file a deputation to raise concerns about the irregularities in the SIR process in some parts of the State and the alleged interference of the ruling party members. 

Supporters of BJP raised slogans and accused Ms. Banerjee and the ruling Trinamool Congress of manipulating the death of every individual in West Bengal to link it to SIR. 

“We want a voter list free of errors and infiltrators. This rally is to respect the Election Commission, whereas, Ms. Mamata is conducting a rally with infiltrators,” Mr. Adhikari said. 

BJP supporters carried posters that said, “Detect. Delete. Deport” — a message directed towards alleged infiltrators. Mr. Adhikari also urged Booth Level Officers (BLOs) to not get trapped by any provocation caused by the ruling party members and let the Election Commission of India take all legal steps to protect them. This comes as there have been multiple allegations by BLOs across the State about facing threats from various factions of society. 

“If they [TMC] harm or attack any of our Booth Level Agents (BLA), BJP leaders like myself will settle the score with them,” Mr. Adhikari said. He also said that if the TMC does not allow the SIR process to be conducted and delay elections, they will ensure the State goes under President’s Rule. 

“SIR had been undertaken at least eight times and was necessary for the interest of the country and saving its integrity and democracy. Why has the TMC suddenly woken up to the issue and is trying to derail the process. People have seen through their games,” he said, calling for ‘parivartan’ (change) in West Bengal. 

Mr. Adhikari also dared the TMC to stop the SIR process in West Bengal and called their opposition of the exercise “unconstitutional”. 

According to official records shared by the CEO, West Bengal office, more than 16 lakh enumeration forms were distributed across the State on the first day of the door-to-door activity. 

At her rally, Ms. Banerjee vowed she would not let any single genuine voter to be removed from the voter list and accused the BJP of tagging everyone speaking in Bengali as Bangladeshi. 

“So many years after the partition, now I will have to prove my citizenship? The last SIR took 2 years, then why this time it is being hurried in 2 months?” Ms. Banerjee raised questions.