July fighter Newton is an Indian citizen, Name Also Present in West Bengal’s Voter List!

Staff Reporter

The West Bengal government is facing controversy over the registration of names in the voter list. A person has been found in the voter list who, according to data presented by India’s influential media outlet The Hindu, actively participated in the anti-discrimination student movement (Baischa) against the Awami League government in Bangladesh during July-August 2024.

The report by the media outlet stated that the youth, named Newton Das, actively participated in the student movement in Bangladesh during July-August. In several photos circulating on social media, he is seen holding sticks and other violent tools while participating in the protests.

According to records, Newton Das is a registered voter in the Kakdwip assembly constituency of South 24 Parganas district in West Bengal, India. Kakdwip is located very close to the Sundarbans region, which falls within the forested area bordering Bangladesh and India.

On this matter, Newton Das claims that he went to Bangladesh last year regarding an issue related to ancestral property and suddenly found himself caught up in the revolution.

He said, “I have been a voter in Kakdwip since 2014. In 2017, I lost my voter card, and in 2018, with the help of Kakdwip’s local MLA Monturam Pakhira, I got a new card.”

He further claimed that he voted for Trinamool Congress candidate Monturam Pakhira in the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections. However, he did not clearly state whether he is currently in Bangladesh or India.

Newton’s cousin Tapan Das said Newton was born in Bangladesh and votes in both countries.

In his words, “Newton came to India after the COVID-19 pandemic to sell some land. Later, he never returned. He was born in Bangladesh, so he also has a voter ID there. Having his name on the voter lists of both countries is a mistake.”

However, The Hindu commented that Tapan’s statement contradicts Newton’s own claims.

Meanwhile, after this incident came to light, tensions have risen in West Bengal’s political arena. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has alleged that the ruling Trinamool Congress is systematically including Bangladeshis in West Bengal’s voter list to garner votes.

Opposition leader Suvendu Adhikari alleged, “Lakhs of Bangladeshis are now voters in West Bengal. The name of Sadiq Sheikh, a member of the banned militant organization Ansarullah Bangla Team in Bangladesh, was also found in the voter list of Murshidabad district.”

West Bengal BJP president Sukanta Majumdar wrote in a social media post, “Newton was seen with a stick during the quota movement in Bangladesh, and today that person is a registered voter in Kakdwip. This is yet another shining example of the ‘Aagaye Bangla Model’.”

Holding Trinamool Congress and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee responsible for the incident, he said, “Illegal infiltration has turned into an industry under their patronage.”

In response to these allegations, Trinamool Congress leaders pointed fingers at the central government and the border security force BSF.

Trinamool leader Kunal Ghosh said, “No matter how these people come—by land, sea, or air—the responsibility lies with the BSF and the central government. The state administration will certainly fulfill its duties.”

Such controversies are not new. Earlier, in February 2024, Mamata Banerjee herself had alleged that the electoral photo identity card (EPIC) numbers of voters from various states were matching with those of voters in West Bengal.

At that time, the BJP countered the allegation by claiming that Bangladeshi citizens were being included in West Bengal’s voter list at the behest of Trinamool.

Meanwhile, organizations associated with the student movement are unwilling to speak up about the controversy surrounding Newton Das. No organization linked to the anti-discrimination movement, including NCP, which aimed to overthrow Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government, is willing to take responsibility for Newton.

Political analysts have commented that the allegations made by the Awami League—such as foreign involvement in the Baischa movement, the presence of professionals orchestrating violence and killings—are increasingly proving to be true.