Political Row Erupts After Man Linked To 2024 Bangladesh Protests Discovered On Bengal Voter Listing
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The person, recognized as Newton Das, reportedly took half within the 2024 protests in Bangladesh that triggered a regime change. He was discovered on the voter listing in West Bengal’s Kakdwip.
Photos on social media confirmed Newton Das in final yr’s Bangladesh protests. (X/Reuters)
A contemporary political storm erupted in West Bengal after an individual allegedly concerned in final yr’s student-led protests in Bangladesh that resulted within the ouster of then-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina turned out to be a voter from the state’s Kakdwip space.
The person, recognized as Newton Das, appeared in a number of photographs circulating on social media exhibiting him collaborating within the 2024 protests in Bangladesh, which triggered a regime change. The protests had been triggered by a controversial quota system for presidency jobs.
Nonetheless, Newton insisted that he was an Indian citizen and confirmed paperwork, together with a PAN card and Aadhaar card, to help his declare. Nonetheless, he didn’t make clear on whether or not he lived in India or Bangladesh.
‘Unexpectedly Bought Caught Up’
“I had travelled to Bangladesh in 2024 for some points associated to our ancestral property, however I unexpectedly bought caught up within the revolution there. I’ve been a voter in Kakdwip since 2014,” he was quoted by information company PTI as saying in a video message.
“Though I misplaced my voter card in 2017, I managed to get a brand new one the next yr with assist from the native MLA, Manturam Pakhira. I additionally solid my vote in the course of the 2016 West Bengal Meeting elections.”
Nonetheless, Newton’s cousin Tapan provided a contradictory account, saying Newton was born in Bangladesh and workout routines voting rights in each international locations.
“Niutan was born in Bangladesh and holds voting rights in each international locations. He got here to India after the pandemic to promote some ancestral land and has stayed right here since. He needs to be held liable for registering as a voter in each locations, that’s clearly not proper,” Tapan instructed reporters.
BJP Accuses TMC Of Facilitating Unlawful Immigration
The Bharatiya Janata Get together (BJP) seized on the controversy, accusing the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) of encouraging unlawful immigration to control electoral outcomes. “That is the TMC blueprint — flood Bengal’s voter rolls with unlawful infiltrators and safe elections with ghost votes,” the West Bengal BJP mentioned on X.
Bangladesh to Bengal — one man, two votes.A Bangladeshi protestor’s title seems in Kakdwip’s voter listing.He’s voting in each international locations. Let that sink in.
❌ This isn’t an accident.✅ That is the TMC blueprint — flood Bengal’s voter rolls with unlawful infiltrators and safe… pic.twitter.com/962eDRjQuC
— BJP West Bengal (@BJP4Bengal) June 8, 2025
Union Minister and BJP chief Sukanta Majumdar mentioned, “One other shining instance of the so-called “Egiye Bangla Mannequin”! The identical Newton who was seen wielding a stick throughout Bangladesh’s quota reform motion is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!”
“1000’s of Bangladeshi “Newtons” voting in Bengal—courtesy of Mamata Banerjee’s infiltration idea and appeasement politics. With unlawful voters and these lathi-wielders miscreants as her help base, she’s not working West Bengal… she’s scripting a blueprint for Better Bangladesh,” he added.
One other shining instance of the so-called “Egiye Bangla Mannequin”!The identical Newton who was seen wielding a stick throughout Bangladesh’s quota reform motion is now a registered voter in Kakdwip, West Bengal!
Because of the particular encouragement of the failed Chief Minister… pic.twitter.com/ehadHxknJy
— Dr. Sukanta Majumdar (@DrSukantaBJP) June 7, 2025
His statements had been echoed by the Chief of Opposition within the West Bengal Meeting, Suvendu Adhikari, who mentioned there are lakhs of Bangladeshi nationals who’re included within the voter rolls of West Bengal. BJP Mathurapur organisational district secretary Sanjay Das alleged that “the Trinamool Congress is actively serving to Bangladeshi infiltrators to enter India.
In response, the TMC rejected the allegations, shifting the blame to the Centre and the Border Safety Power (BSF), which guards the Indo-Bangladesh border. “Our state authorities will do its half, but it surely’s as much as the Union authorities to make sure safety,” TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh mentioned.
Debashis Das, TMC’s Sundarbans organisational district pupil wing president, was seen reducing cake with Das in a viral celebration picture. ” had no thought he was concerned within the Bangladesh protests. The picture going round was taken at a birthday celebration with many individuals current. If somebody like him managed to cross the border, it simply reveals the BSF isn’t doing its job correctly,” he clarified.
(with company inputs)
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Primarily based in Noida with a Grasp’s in World Research, Aveek has greater than three years of expertise in digital media and information curation, specialising in worldwide…Learn Extra
Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Primarily based in Noida with a Grasp’s in World Research, Aveek has greater than three years of expertise in digital media and information curation, specialising in worldwide… Learn Extra
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