Tag: Mamata Banerjee

  • Bauls of Bengal: BJP, TMC and the not-so-musical pre-election culture wars

    Online Desk
    The Bharatiya Janata Party chief JP Nadda in one of his poll rallies proclaimed that ‘Under Mamata Banerjee’s rule, the rich culture and heritage of West Bengal is under threat.’ He asserted only the BJP can now protect it.  

    The Chief Minister in retaliation said the BJP is trying to break the spine of Bengali culture. Sharpening her attack, she added, “They are trying to hammer Bengali pride, erase our history, change the geographic boundary and taint our political ideology with violence.”

    In the run-up to the high-voltage West Bengal elections, the word ‘culture’ and the ethos surrounding it has been at the center of a political slugfest. Kolkata, considered the cultural capital of India, is now the ground zero of this war. 

    In 2019, it was the violence followed by the desecration of Vidyasagar’s bust inside a Kolkata college that had, in the eyes of many political observers, cost the BJP the final phase of Lok Sabha election in the state.

    This time around, battered by the relentless ‘outsider’ jibes from the Trinamool camp, the BJP is doing everything they can to prove they understand the tenets of Bengaliness. There have been notable stumbles though.

    Recently, the party’s IT cell tweeted that Rabindranath Tagore (the epitome of Bengali’s Bhadralok image) was born in Visva-Bharati, much to the BJP’s embarrassment. Union Minister Amit Shah also made a faux pas, paying homage to freedom fighter and tribal leader Birsa Munda by putting a garland on his statue, only to realise later that he had planted himself before the wrong bust.

    And then there was what could well be termed a ‘stagy’ moment.

    In their efforts to rope in popular faces, both the ruling TMC and Opposition BJP have pitted half the Bengali industry against each other. The saffron party, however, went the extra mile and knocked on Johar Ganguly’s door, a popular theatre personality who died in… 1969.

    ALSO READ | ‘Is Modi afraid of Mamata?’: Hurt by CAA delay, Matuas weigh options before Bengal polls

    But the BJP knows that chhere dile sonar gour aar toh pabe na. Hence the party is fighting tooth and nail to bring the state into its saffron fold. Amit Shah even embarked on a culinary journey.

    During his campaign trail, the home minister had lunch with a Baul family in a remote Bengal village in Birbhum district.

    The Bauls are an inseparable part of Bengal’s heritage and the latest entrant in the political arena. Interestingly, the Baul Basudeb Das, who played host to the Union Minister, went on to share the stage a few days later with Mamata Banerjee and performed at the TMC rally.

    When asked about his stance, Das said, “We are artistes. We don’t understand politics and we don’t support any party or politics.”

    The Bauls of Bengal are a  group of folk musicians who pursue a life of self-denial and meditative discipline. Popularised by Lalon Shah, the story of the Bauls’ origin dates back to the 16th century. Influenced by the Bhakti and Sufi movements, the musicians believe that God is not to be found in religious places, but in the self.

    The wandering minstrels are predominantly found in the districts of Nadia and Birbhum, where thousands of them lead a hand-to-mouth existence. Their music often perceived as devotional in nature is usually laced with metaphorical undertones. Draped in shades of saffron, the singers earn a living by performing in stage shows, local trains or at village fairs.

    The Baul akhara in Nadia’s Gorbhanga village where singers assemble every evening. 

    Mansur Fakir, one of the most noted Baul singers in the state, is among those irked by the politicisation of his ilk. He said, “We are mere performers. We should not be dragged into this politics. We perform for everyone, irrespective of caste and creed. If anyone wants us to perform, we will perform. Why are they (parties) trying to divide us along religious lines? We only believe in humanity.”

    Mansur lives in a small village in Nadia district named Gorbhanga that borders Bangladesh. The village infamous for its marijuana cultivation, houses at least 20 Baul families from marginal backgrounds. 

    UNESCO in 2005 recognised the Baul tradition as a ‘Masterpiece of Intangible Oral Heritage of Humanity’. However, with shows cancelled and trains cancelled (where they sing and beg for money), the pandemic left a permanent dent in their lives.

    ALSO READ | How BJP turned West Bengal’s Left support base in their favour

    “We have spent days without food in 2020. I begged wherever we could to get a day’s meal. We get Rs 1000 a month from the government but can that feed us for 30 days?” asked Raju Das, a Birbhum-based folk singer.

    The Mamata government in 2013 had introduced a Rs 1000 monthly stipend for folk artistes in the state, which was widely welcomed by the community. Mansur, unlike Raju Das, is among those who appreciates the move. “Mamata gave us an identity which the Left or the Congress govt failed to. We love her. We love everyone. Just hope they don’t drag us into this mess,” he stated.

  • Trinamool poll slogan ‘Bangla nijer meyekei chay’ in sync with party’s vision: Bengal minister

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The TMC on Tuesday said its poll campaign slogan — ‘Bangla nijer meyekei chay’ (Bengal wants its daughter to rule the state) — is in “sync with the party’s vision and consistent efforts” to ensure women get adequate representation on different forums.

    State minister and senior party leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said at a press meet here that the TMC government helmed by Mamata Banerjee, after coming to power, raised the number of seats reserved for women at the panchayat level from 33 per cent to 50 per cent.

    “The TMC has 17 women MPs in Lok Sabha which is a record of sorts if compared to other parties. In Rajya Sabha, 41 per cent of TMC MPs are women. The party, after coming to power, increased women’s reservation in the three-tier panchayat system to 50 per cent from 33 per cent,” she said.

    Bhattacharya also pointed out the smart card doled out under the state-run health scheme, ‘Swasthya Sathi’, bears the name of the household matriarch, and her family members are registered as “other beneficiaries”.

    “The TMC has always worked for women empowerment, and the party’s election campaign ‘Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chay’, with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee as its face, is in sync with the consistent efforts made to ensure women get better representation everywhere,” the minister said.

    The TMC dispensation has floated several welfare schemes for minor girls and widows, she stated.

    “The state government has received international accolades for its ‘Kanyashree’ scheme, meant to help girl children. Also, any widow over 18 years of age will now be eligible for a monthly financial assistance of Rs 1,000,” Bhattacharya added.

  • ‘Prashant Kishor has left Mamata to join Amarinder’: BJP takes dig at poll strategist

    Kishor is working as a key strategist for the ruling TMC in West Bengal, with the state set to witness an eight-phase Assembly election starting March 27.

  • West Bengal polls: Mamata to meet Tejaswi Yadav; chair election committee meeting today

    By ANI
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee is set to chair an election committee meeting on Monday at her residence in Kalighat to look into the selection of candidates and formulate a strategy for the upcoming assembly polls.

    The meeting will be held at 12:00 pm.

    Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Yadav will also be meeting Mamata Banerjee today to discuss West Bengal elections.

    Trinamool Congress’s election committee will also refine the plan of campaigning.

    West Bengal will have eight-phased Assembly polls and first phase will be held on March 27, the counting of votes will take place on May 2.The state is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and BJP in the fray.

    While Mamata Banerjee is seeking her third consecutive term, BJP has set a target of winning 200 seats in the 294-member state Assembly. Congress and the Left have stitched the alliance for the polls and had already finalised the seat-sharing agreement. They are also in touch with the Indian Secular Front (ISF), recently floated by influential minority leader Abbas Siddique.

    With the announcement of the election schedule, the Model Code of Conduct has come into force in the state.

    In 2016, West Bengal Assembly elections, out of the 294 seats, Congress had managed to win 44 seats while the Left Front bagged 33 seats. The ruling TMC secured 211 seats and the BJP had won 3 seats. 

  • Mamata will be out of power on May 2: Shivraj Singh Chouhan

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan asserted on Sunday that the BJP will win the upcoming assembly elections in West Bengal, and Mamata Banerjee will lose her chief ministership on May 2 — the day the votes will be counted.

    Offering puja at the Dakshineswar Temple on the banks of the Hooghly on the northern fringes of Kolkata, Chouhan said he prayed for a violence-free Bengal.

    “After the misrule by Congress and CPI(M), resulting in Bengal’s decline over the years, the state of affairs touched a new bottom with cut money and corruption culture during Trinamool Congress’s rule. People of the state want a change and will bring BJP to power this time,” he told reporters.

    “On May 2, Didi (Mamata Banerjee) will be out of power and BJP will replace her,” he added.

    Accompanied by a few BJP leaders, Chouhan visited the 19th-century temple around 11 am.

    “This place is associated with Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Maa Sarada. This is also the land of Swami Vivekananda. Visiting this place brings in a divine feeling,” the Madhya Pradesh chief minister said.

    Chouhan alleged that 130 BJP activists were killed in the state in the last few years.

    “Their sacrifices will not go in vain,” he said. Chouhan, like several other BJP chief ministers and Union ministers, was visiting the state to campaign for the party ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

    The Trinamool Congress slammed Chouhan’s comments, stating that they were baseless allegations.

    “Can you imagine someone visiting the temple of Maa Kali to make a political statement? This is only possible for the BJP,” state minister and senior TMC leader Firhad Hakim said.

  • Mamata Banerjee’s COVID jab request ahead of polls dubbed ‘smart move’, could paint BJP in a corner

    By Express News Service
    KOLKATA:  West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee recently wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his help to procure Covid-19 vaccines so that everyone can be inoculated free of cost before the assembly elections, a ‘smart’ move that political analysts say is aimed at cornering the BJP ahead of assembly polls.  

    “The Centre’s decision to make vaccines available at some private hospitals gives a clear hint that it would not be able to give free vaccines to all. The CM wants to put pressure on the BJP government at the Centre on this issue ahead of the polls,’’ said an official at the state secretariat. According to TMC sources, the Centre’s inability to give Bengal adequate volume of vaccines would become the ruling party’s weapon to target the BJP. 

    ALSO READ | Bengal assembly elections: Poll strategists of BJP camp shift base to Kolkata

    “In a video conference just before vaccination started, the CM had made it clear to the PM that the state wanted to buy vaccines and give them for free to the common people. Initially, the BJP was trying to cash in on vaccination claiming the Centre has fast-tracked the process to keep people safe from the virus. Now the CM’s request is bound to put the Modi government in a quandary because their inability to provide vaccines in adequate numbers will be exploited by the TMC ahead of the elections, which can damage the BJP,” said a TMC leader.

    Mamata in her letter said that the people will be forced to go to the polling stations without any vaccination coverage if free of cost immunisation is not done ahead of elections. So far, about 2 lakh health workers and doctors have been administered jabs in the state. Another 2 lakh frontline workers, including police personnel, are being given vaccines in the second phase.

  • Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan predicts ‘spectacular’ win for BJP in West Bengal polls

    By PTI
    BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday expressed confidence that the BJP would clinch a “spectacular” victory in the upcoming West Bengal Assembly polls and come to power in that state as people there have now risen against the “misgovernance” of the Mamata Banerjee-led dispensation.

    He also said that he will take part in the Parivartan Yatra in West Bengal on Sunday.

    Talking to reporters here, Chouhan said, “I will reach Kolkata tonight to take part in the Parivartan rally tomorrow. I will address three public meetings there as part of it.”

    The Election Commission on Friday announced eight-phased polling in West Bengal from March 27 to April 29.

    ALSO READ | On 2nd May, hold me to my last tweet: Prashant Kishor calls Bengal polls ‘key battle for democracy’

    “The assembly poll bugle has been sounded in West Bengal. A BJP wave is prevailing there. Mamata didi is frightened and furious too,” he said.

    “That is why Parivartan rallies are being attacked and BJP workers have been killed. But their sacrifice won’t go in vain. West Bengal has risen against Mamata didi’s misgovernance, and also against goodaism, corruption and loot,” Chouhan said.

    The BJP is going to get spectacular success in West Bengal and form a government there, he said.

  • Trinamool forms 12-member committee for campaign strategy, candidates selection

    By PTI
    KOLKATA: The Trinamool Congress on Friday announced a 12-member election committee that will look into the selection of candidates and plan a campaign for the upcoming assembly polls.

    The panel will be headed by West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee, party’s secretary-general Partha Chatterjee said after its core committee meeting.

    Senior party leaders, MPs and MLAs are other members of the committee, he said.

    Subrata Bakshi, Abhishek Banerjee, Sudip Banerjee, Derek O Brien, Sougata Roy and C M Jatua are members of the election panel.

    Firhad Hakim, Subrata Mukherjee, Partha Chatterjee Chandrima Bhattacharya and Aroop Biswas are also part of the team.

    According to party sources, the TMC leaders had extensively discussed the issues related to the selection of candidates and planned for the campaign.

    “Selection of the candidates will be an important thing this time and inputs from election strategist Prashant Kishor and his team I-PAC will play an important role in it,” a party leader said.

    Elections for the West Bengal assembly will be held in eight phases, up from seven last time, beginning with polling for 30 seats on March 27, Chief Election Commissioner Sunil Arora said while announcing the poll schedule.

  • Bengal gears up for neck-to-neck fight between TMC and BJP

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: As West Bengal is set for an eight-phase poll schedule, the ruling TMC is gearing up for a neck-to-neck fight with the BJP which not only made deep inroads into the state but also emerged as her arch-rival since the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.

    Political observers opined that the upcoming poll battle will be Mamata’s fight for survival as the saffron camp increased its stake in Bengal’s electoral arena significantly by bagging around 40% vote share, only 3% behind the ruling party. Though the Left Front and Congress formed an alliance, the elections are considered as an eyeball-to-eyeball contact between the TMC and the saffron camp.

    “It doesn’t matter in how many phases the elections will be held. We are all set to participate in the game and win it,” said Mamata, shortly after the election schedule was announced.

    But the lieutenants of the TMC supremo don’t think it will be a cakewalk for TMC. “The BJP’s vote share was 10.16% in the 2016 Assembly elections and it shot up to 40.7% in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections which triggered a massive jolt to our party. It will be a tooth and nail battle,” said a senior TMC leader. In the 2011 Assembly elections, BJP’s vote share was 4.06%.

    ALSO READ | Bengal poll schedule fixed to please Modi and Shah, alleges Mamata

    Political analysts said it will be a prestigious fight for Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who repeatedly claimed to bag more than 200 seats and a battle for Mamata’s survival. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, BJP secured the lead in 121 Assembly constituencies out of 294.

    “Posing a threat to TMC’s dominance and Mamata’s charisma over a period of 10 years in Bengal politics in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP surfaced as a strong contender against the ruling party. This election is a litmus test for the saffron camp and the state is likely to witness a tough electoral contest. Since there was a largescale exodus from the TMC to the BJP in the recent past, Mamata’s party might collapse with cascading effect if she fails to retain Bengal,” said Bishnupriya Dutta Gupta, a political scientist.   

    BJP’s state vice-president Jayprakash Majumdar, however, ruled out the possibility of the tough contest with the TMC. “The electorates of Bengal have made their mind. Mamata Banerjee’s party has already lost the battle. She is still in power because of the constitutional process. We will whitewash her party in the upcoming Assembly elections.”

  • Bengal poll schedule fixed to please Modi and Shah, alleges Mamata

    Express News Service
    KOLKATA: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her discontent over the Election Commission’s decision on eight-phase polls in the state. She accused the Centre of controlling the schedule.

    “I respect ECI’s decision. I have information from my sources that poll dates are similar to the ones BJP wanted. It is to help whom? Is it to satisfy Modi and Shah? The PM and the Home Minister cannot misuse their power for the state elections,” Mamata alleged shortly after the ECI announced the poll schedule.

    The Bengal CM raised question on dividing the Assembly constituencies located in a same district and conducting polls there in different phases. “Why there are break-ups in the districts? South 24 Parganas is our stronghold. Voting there will be held in three different phases,” she said.

    ALSO READ | EC announces poll dates: TN, Kerala, Bengal, Assam and Puducherry results on May 2

    Expressing her confidence to retain Bengal, Mamata said, “We are common people. We will fight our battle. We request the EC to stop the misuse of the money. I am the daughter of Bengal. I know the state better than BJP. I will win the election even after the poll will be conducted in eight phases.”

    Mamata, on several occasions, hit out the saffron camp accusing it of spreading money and bribing electorates to cast their votes in favour of the party.   

    CPI(M) politburo member Mohammad Salim said the eight-phase schedule in Bengal would facilitate the BJP. “The deployment of central force is an eyewash. Despite the presence of heavy deployment of central forces, large-scale violence took place during the previous elections,” he said.

    BJP’s state general secretary Shamik Bhattacharya said the party is all set to participate in the upcoming elections. “Those questioning the ECI’s decision of conducting the poll in eight phases are actually scared of their defeat,” he said.