Kolkata: Before the West Bengal Assembly elections 2026, the crowd of people going to Bengal from other cities has increased. Especially people from the working class are returning home in large numbers. Railway stations are packed at many places. There is neither any festival nor any lockdown, in such a situation you must be wondering what happened suddenly that everyone is going back to their homes.
Rumor created panic
Actually, West Bengal Assembly elections are going to be held. This rumor has spread among the people that if one does not vote, the name will be removed from the voter list. Due to this fear, people from cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Surat, Kerala and Chennai are reaching Bengal. Especially in Muslim dominated areas like Malda and Murshidabad, the return is being seen more.
Family members and relatives are calling. It is being said that if you do not vote, facilities like Aadhaar, ration card and bank account may also be affected. This has created a situation of panic.
Crowd gathered at stations
There is a huge crowd in the special trains going to Bengal at the railway stations of Delhi. People start lining up from noon to board the general coaches of Shalimar Express at Mumbai’s Lokmanya Tilak Terminus. On April 19, such a huge crowd gathered at Udhna station in Surat that the police had to resort to mild lathi charge. The passengers were trying to enter inside by breaking the barricade. Railways ran special trains, but crowd control remained a challenge.
Most of the people are returning because of rumours. Some say that their names or those of their family members have already been removed from the voter list. However, many people from the Hindu community are going to vote in the hope of political change. He says that he has no fear of his name being cut.
People also arrived from abroad
Bengali voters are returning to Bengal not only from within the country but also from abroad. People from Silicon Valley, Belgium and Australia have come to vote. He says that there has been no development in Bengal for the last many years, hence there is a need for change this time.
Railway officials say that every year the crowd increases during festivals or holidays, but this time elections and rumors have increased it further. They have deployed additional staff for crowd management. Let us tell you that due to the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process of the Election Commission, names in the voter list have been checked on a large scale, due to which this panic spread. People should be alert and verify correct information.
