Abhishek Banerjee Slams PM Modi, Says Seeking Debate on SIR Is Not “Drama”

Kolkata, Dec 2025 : Trinamool Congress National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday strongly criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remarks urging the opposition to focus on performance rather than “drama” in Parliament. Banerjee accused the Union government of attempting to avoid accountability for the alleged deaths of nearly 40 people in West Bengal connected to the Special Intensive Research (SIR) exercise.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Sevaashray 2 health camp in Maheshtala, in South 24 Parganas district, Banerjee said demanding a debate on the SIR process was a democratic right and not theatrics. “What the opposition is demanding is a debate on SIR. Is this drama? If raising people’s issues is considered drama, then the people themselves will answer the government in the next elections,” he remarked.

Banerjee questioned the rollout of the SIR exercise in West Bengal, alleging it had been implemented without consultations and had contributed to the deaths of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and other citizens. “Nearly 40 people have died. BLOs themselves have blamed the Election Commission of India for the pressure and conditions they faced. Where is the government’s accountability?” he asked.

The TMC Lok Sabha MP drew parallels with past national controversies, questioning the Centre’s response to serious issues. “During demonetisation, people stood in lines for hours, yet the flow of black money only increased. When blasts rocked the National Capital, where was the accountability? Terrorists entered the country — where was the explanation? The same absence of responsibility is visible in the unplanned SIR drive, which has cost lives,” he said. He alleged that the Central government “wants the power of accountability without answering the public.”

Banerjee maintained that the opposition was committed to ensuring Parliament functioned smoothly. He questioned the government’s defensiveness, stating that even after winning the Bihar elections, it seemed unwilling to engage in discussions on pressing issues. His remarks came in response to the Prime Minister’s comments ahead of the Winter Session, where Modi claimed the opposition used Parliament either as a rehearsal ground for elections or as a space to express frustration after electoral losses. Modi said Parliament was meant for work, not drama, and there were “plenty of other places” for theatrics.

Responding sharply, Banerjee said, “Winning a few states does not absolve the government of its duty to answer the people. The same voters can remove them from office.” He added that the TMC was not opposing the SIR exercise itself but the manner in which it was being implemented. “We are asking questions about the deaths linked to SIR. They call it drama. We are not against SIR, but the way it is being carried out is unacceptable,” he said.

He alleged that booth-level officers lacked proper training, that the app used for SIR form submission was riddled with technical issues, and that voter rolls had not been digitised in time. “Instead of fixing these problems, they mock the opposition for raising them. When we demand a debate on these issues in Parliament, the Prime Minister dismisses it as drama,” Banerjee said.

Team Maverick