Manoj Agarwal Hits Back at Mahua Moitra Over Bengal SIR Allegations (Img: Dynamite News)
Kolkata: West Bengal Chief Secretary Manoj Kumar Agarwal has taken a firm stand against allegations levelled by Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra over his role in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, saying he is seeking legal opinion and preparing to consider defamation proceedings.
The development marks a significant turn in the political debate surrounding Bengal’s SIR exercise, with Agarwal choosing to defend his record and seek clarity on the basis of the allegations made against him.
Moitra recently posted photographs of Agarwal and Subrata Gupta on X, describing them as the “2 biggest architects of Bengal SIR” and alleging that they had committed widespread illegalities.
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Responding to the remarks, Agarwal said he was seeking legal advice and preparing a defamation case. He also questioned the basis of the allegations and said it was important to establish what documents were being relied upon to make such claims.
Agarwal has previously maintained that the SIR process was conducted with neutrality and defended the electoral-roll changes carried out during the exercise.
In an interview earlier this year, he explained that his role involved supervising and monitoring the process and maintained that the deletions were based on cases involving voters who were absent, deceased, shifted or duplicated. He said the cases had been properly accounted for.
TMC MP Mahua Moitra (Img: Pinterest)
His latest response reinforces his position that allegations concerning the electoral exercise should be backed by evidence and examined through appropriate legal channels.
The exchange between Moitra and Agarwal has now moved beyond political criticism, with the former election official considering legal action over statements he believes require substantiation.
For Agarwal, the proposed legal route provides an opportunity to place his position and record before the appropriate forum rather than allowing the dispute to remain solely within the political arena.
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The Bengal SIR controversy continues to generate intense political debate, but Agarwal's latest move puts the focus on evidence, accountability and the legal basis of the allegations made against officials involved in the electoral-roll revision.
