In a bombshell statement ahead of West Bengal’s high-stakes assembly polls, veteran actress Munmun Sen has labeled the originator of the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as mentally unfit. Her words, delivered amid uproar over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process, have fueled the already polarized discourse between TMC and its rivals.
The 1980s Bollywood sensation, famous for her daring screen presence in films like ‘Andar Baahar,’ questioned the practicality and sanity behind NRC. During a media interaction in Mumbai, Sen shared a poignant anecdote: ‘My driver’s parents are uneducated farmers without a single document, not even a ration card. You first need to prove paternity before they bother with anything else. Officials are merely following protocol.’
Escalating her rhetoric, she recommended a trip to NIMHANS for whoever greenlit NRC. ‘Their mind isn’t in the right place,’ Sen quipped, blending sharp critique with dark humor. This comes as TMC accuses the SIR exercise of being a covert NRC rollout, a charge denied by election authorities who insist it’s about cleaning voter rolls.
Mamata Banerjee’s firm stance against NRC and CAA resonates with many in Bengal, where fears of marginalizing minorities run deep. Sen, a former TMC MP from Bankura who tasted victory in 2014 only to falter in Asansol against BJP’s Babul Supriyo in 2019, knows the political battlefield well. Her career blended filmi allure with fiery opinions, including aspirations for Banerjee’s national leadership. Though distanced from active politics now, Sen’s timing suggests lingering loyalties.
Bengal’s pre-election buzz is amplified by such interventions. NRC remains a lightning rod, symbolizing broader battles over identity, migration, and belonging. Sen’s provocative take challenges the policy’s architects and invites scrutiny on its human cost. With polls looming, her voice reminds us how celebrities can stir the pot, potentially tipping scales in a fiercely contested state.