 "Mamata Banerjee")
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed dismay over the "deactivation" of Aadhaar cards in the state, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024. Addressing the issue in a press conference on Monday, CM Banerjee announced plans to provide alternative identification cards to affected individuals and wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting her concerns.
During a press conference, Banerjee assured the public that her government would set up an Aadhaar Grievances Portal to address complaints regarding deactivated cards. She emphasised the importance of ensuring that citizens do not lose access to essential benefits and social welfare schemes due to Aadhaar card deactivation.
"Deactivating cards just before elections… What kind of politics is this?" the chief minister asked.
Criticising the timing of the deactivation, she raised legal objections to the process and expressed her intention to seek legal advice and register a formal protest with the prime minister.
In her letter to PM Modi, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief highlighted the lack of due process in the deactivation of Aadhaar cards, citing violations of regulations and principles of natural justice. She underscored the impact on marginalised communities, including Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes.
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The chief minister also suggested a possible connection between Aadhaar card deactivation and preparations for the National Register of Citizens (NRC). She pledged to resist any attempts to implement the NRC in Bengal and accused the BJP of targeting specific communities through card deactivation.
Launching a scathing attack on the BJP, Banerjee labelled the move as part of a "fascist conspiracy" and vowed to confront such tactics. She announced plans to approach the Election Commission of India and criticised the BJP's role in the matter.
In response to Banerjee's concerns, Leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari assured that all deactivated cards would be reactivated within 24 hours. He also said an investigation would be launched to look into this.
He wrote on X (formerly Twitter), "All the Deactivated Cards will be Reactivated within 24 hours... It seems that the Higher Level Officials and the Ministry were completely unaware of such steps taken by the Regional Office at Ranchi. An investigation is likely to be conducted to unearth the truth and to ascertain whether any conspiracy was hatched before the polls."
Later, the UIDAI clarified that no Aadhaar numbers had been cancelled.
On this the Leader of Opposition wrote, "I urge everyone not to believe any gossip or misinformation." He later accused CM Banerjee of spreading fake news and creating "public hysteria for political gains".
