TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee on Monday hit back at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's charge that the opposition was turning Parliament into a stage for "drama", asserting that demanding accountability on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and other governance issues cannot be dismissed as theatrics. Banerjee's remarks came hours after the Prime Minister, speaking to reporters outside Parliament ahead of the winter session, said the House was "not a place for drama but for delivery", describing the opposition's conduct as a "warm-up arena" for elections and even offering to give them "tips to bring positivity in politics". Responding sharply, Banerjee said the opposition had only sought a formal debate on the SIR exercise, which he claimed had already led to "around 40 deaths, including BLOs", because of alleged procedural lapses. "What the opposition is asking for is a debate on SIR. Is that drama? If raising people's voice is drama, then the people will give them a reply in the next election," the TMC national general secretary said.
Blaming the Election Commission for what he called an "unplanned and glitch-ridden" revision process, the TMC MP said BLOs were neither trained nor equipped to handle the workload. "The EC didn't train BLOs. It didn't fix the glitches. The voter roll isn't updated. Forty people have died due to an unplanned SIR. Where is accountability from the government?" he asked. Banerjee accused the BJP of selective outrage and evading responsibility across sectors. "People stood in serpentine queues during demonetisation ten years back. The black money flow has increased. Where is the accountability? Blasts are happening, and terrorists are entering the country. Again, where is the accountability?" he said. Banerjee insisted that the opposition was functioning "within the legal framework" by questioning the government and the poll panel. "Just because they have won a few states doesn't mean they are not answerable to the people. The same people will remove them from power," the Diamond Harbour MP said. Referring to alleged lapses during the Pahalgam terror attack, he alleged that the government could not selectively decide what constitutes legitimate scrutiny. "We are raising questions on Pahalgam, on the 40 deaths linked to SIR, and the BJP thinks this is drama? We are not against SIR but against the method and the way it is being executed," he said. Reiterating a long-running charge, Banerjee alleged that the Centre had withheld Bengal's financial entitlements. "They have blocked Rs 2 lakh crore of Bengal," he claimed. Stressing that accountability "cannot be optional in a democracy", the TMC MP said the opposition would continue pressing for answers inside and outside Parliament.