Trinamool alleges pregnant woman’s deportation was politically motivated, citing her parents’ names in 2002 voter rolls as proof of Indian citizenship.

Kolkata

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) on Saturday claimed that the parents of deported woman Sonali Bibi were listed as Indian citizens in the 2002 electoral rolls of West Bengal’s Birbhum district. The party alleged that her deportation reflected “bureaucratic cruelty” and “political manipulation.”

Sonali Bibi, reportedly pregnant, was deported to Bangladesh along with her family after being labelled as an illegal immigrant. The Calcutta High Court had on September 26 set aside the Centre’s deportation order, directing officials to bring the family back within a month. However, the Union government has challenged this verdict in the Supreme Court.

The TMC accused the BJP of using the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to spread fear and question the citizenship of Bengal’s residents. “To brand an expectant mother as an infiltrator when her parents are documented Indian citizens is a moral collapse,” the party said on social media.

The Election Commission is conducting the SIR in 12 states, including West Bengal. While the BJP maintains it is a routine voter list update, the TMC has called it “an assault on the idea of Bengal.”

The TMC further claimed that deporting a pregnant woman violated “constitutional ethics” and showed “disrespect for Bengal and its people.” A contempt plea has also been filed in the Calcutta High Court, alleging non-compliance with its earlier order to bring the family back.