A political storm has erupted in West Bengal following the death of a 57-year-old man in North 24 Parganas district, allegedly driven by fear of the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The incident has triggered a sharp war of words between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), with both sides accusing each other of exploiting public anxiety for political advantage.
According to Barrackpore Police Commissioner Muralidhar Sharma, the victim, identified as Pradeep Kar, was found hanging in his home in Panihati on Tuesday morning. A suicide note recovered from the scene revealed that he was deeply distressed over the NRC and the recent announcement of the Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls (SIR) in 12 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal. Police said Kar had been under mental stress for days and appeared to believe that the process could threaten his citizenship status.
Reacting to the incident, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a fierce attack on the BJP, accusing it of “politics of fear and division.” She claimed that the constant rhetoric around the NRC had created widespread panic, particularly among the poor and marginalized communities. “It shakes me to the very core to see how the BJP has tormented innocent citizens with the threat of NRC,” Banerjee posted on X. She added that her government would never allow the NRC to be implemented in West Bengal, calling the tragedy a “direct result of venomous propaganda.”
Banerjee alleged that the BJP had turned “constitutional democracy into a theatre of fear,” and warned that the politics of intimidation was eroding public trust. She accused the Centre of weaponizing insecurity to polarize voters and said that people were being driven to despair in their own homeland. Her statement sought to reassure residents that the state government stood firmly against any attempt to impose the NRC.
The NRC, a register designed to identify Indian citizens and exclude illegal immigrants, first came into national focus after its implementation in Assam. Thousands of residents were left off the final list, leading to fears of detention and statelessness. Although the BJP-led central government has discussed expanding the exercise nationwide, it has not yet been implemented beyond Assam.
In a swift counterattack, BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya accused Banerjee of deliberately spreading misinformation for political gain. He stated that no nationwide NRC currently exists and described her remarks as a “cynical attempt to stoke panic.” Malviya demanded a thorough investigation into Kar’s death, emphasizing that the real cause must be determined through legal procedures, not political accusations. “Mamata Banerjee is lying and spreading fear to protect her vote bank,” he wrote on X, asserting that the SIR process would instead expose irregularities in the voter list and “mark the beginning of her political downfall.”
Malviya further clarified that the SIR, or Summary Revision of Electoral Rolls, is a routine exercise conducted by the Election Commission to verify and update voter records. He accused the Trinamool Congress of falsely equating the SIR with the NRC to mislead voters. The Election Commission has repeatedly maintained that the SIR is a standard procedure carried out across all states to ensure the accuracy of electoral rolls.
Police investigations into Kar’s death revealed that he had dinner with his family on Monday night before retreating to his room. The next morning, he was found hanging. His sister told authorities that Kar had become increasingly anxious over the NRC and often expressed fear that he might be detained or declared a foreigner. Officials confirmed that he had been under severe emotional strain, particularly following the recent SIR announcement.
Under the second phase of the SIR, scheduled to begin on November 4, the process will be carried out in 12 states and Union Territories, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Puducherry—all of which are due for assembly elections in 2026. The enumeration phase will run until December 4, with draft electoral rolls released on December 9 and the final lists on February 7.
Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar has stated that the SIR will proceed smoothly in West Bengal despite political opposition. He asserted that the Election Commission will ensure the lawful conduct of the revision exercise, even in the face of threats and protests from Trinamool Congress leaders.
As the political confrontation deepens, the death of Pradeep Kar has reignited debate over the NRC, voter verification, and the politics of fear in Bengal. While the investigation into his death continues, the episode has once again exposed the tension between administrative processes and the charged political environment surrounding citizenship and identity in the state.
