Original image: The Hindu
In a last-ditch effort to make a mark on Nandigram, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dispatched none other than Amit Shah to hold a road show. But instead of inspiring confidence, the BJP resorted to antics that have repeatedly earned them the reputation of being outsiders.
Take for instance the slogan that was chanted all throughout the roadshow: “Jor se bolo Nandigram, Jai Shri Ram, Jai Shri Ram!” Not only was the slogan in Hindi, instead of Bangla, it was also designed more to counter Mamata Banerjee, by chanting something she refused to, on her home turf, than make any connection with the locals. Mamata Banerjee had famously responded with “Jai Maa Kali” when urged to say “Jai Shri Ram” as the region identifies more with the demon-slayer goddess, rather than Lord Ram whose appeal lies more in the northern parts of the country. BJP is also seen by many as a party from north India, and does not have the homegrown appeal of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).
As it is, BJP had pushed their luck in February when while speaking at the India Today Conclave, Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh had asked, “Lord Ram was an emperor. Some consider him an avatar (incarnation). We know the names of his ancestors. Do we know the same about Durga?” This had not only pitted two deities of the same religion against one another, thereby exposing the divisive agenda of the BJP, but also further solidified their status as outsiders in a state where the chief deity is a woman.
Speaking to mediapersons from Suvendu Adhikari’s office after the roadshow, Shah said, “Everyone wants change across Bengal, and the easiest way to do that is to defeat Mamata did in Nandigram.” He thus conceded that the West Bengal Chief Minister was the greatest thorn in his side. Shah then went on to tackle Mamata Banerjee on the subject of women’s safety citing the death of Shova Majumdar. The BJP alleges that the 85-year-old mother of BJP leader Gopal Majumdar had been assaulted by TMC goons in the Nimta area of North 24 Parganas. It is noteworthy that the octogenarian was assaulted on February 27 and hospitalized the same day. She died a month later, three days after being discharged. But Shah did not mention anything about TMC’s allegations that her death certificate was signed by Dr. Archana Majumdar, who is also the BJP candidate from North Dum Dum assembly constituency.
According to a Hindustan Times report, the document says the deceased was a “healthy lady” it mentions “severe internal hemorrhage, internal injury, head injury, face injury and trauma” caused “one month back” as “cause of death.” The official stamp below Dr Majumdar’s signature mentions her West Bengal Medical Council registration number. It also mentions that she is the BJP candidate from Dum Dum North (constituency no 110). It is noteworthy that the cause of death certificate was issued without conducting any post-mortem and the body was cremated on March 29.
Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee has been a commanding presence all over the state. When she returned to Nandigram for the first time after getting injured, she undertook an 8 kilometer padyatra, but in a wheelchair. And then came the pièce de resistance when Banerjee stood up for the national anthem. Her speech too wasn’t without fiery salvos against the BJP. “Who kickstarted the Nandigram movement? Nandigram is special to me and I am the one who has stood by you,” said Banerjee adding, “Those who engaged in violence during that struggle are BJP leaders now.”
Banerjee also referred to the recent removal of the stay on cases against TMC members and supporters in the 2007 Nandigram violence cases by the Calcutta High Court and how the stay was reinstated via an appeal before the Supreme Court. She also accused the BJP of importing goons from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar and dressing them up as police personnel to intimidate TMC supporters. She also accused them of instigating communal conflagration in the region that has hitherto maintained remarkable communal harmony. “They instruct their men to throw pieces of meat in temples so that there can be a riot. We are also Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Christians. But we stand united,” she said.
30 assembly constituencies go to polls in the second phase. These constituencies are spread across East and West Midnapore, South 24 Parganas and Bankura. As per a Telegraph report, the Election Commission has deployed as many as 697 companies of central forces. The game is afoot… or as Mamata Banerjee says… Khela hobe!
Related:
Battleground Bengal: EVM malfunction, secret tapes mark first phase of Assembly Elections
Battleground Bengal: So, is it Advantage Didi in Singur and its neighbourhood?