The distasteful dessert!

The idea of celebrating the 125th birth Anniversary of Netaji was faulty from the very outset, the State and the Centre drafting separate events without yielding any ground to the other.

125 years or otherwise, the 23rd January, Netaji birthday has been celebrated by West Bengal with pomp and gaiety, flag-hoisting, bands and cadets parading, schools renewing the nationalism pledge to the children etc. The 125 years required a special event. The forthcoming elections made the freedom hero’s felicitation a special occasion, although successive Central governments have shunned the hero for whatever reasons.

Didi garlanded the Netaji statue at the five-point crossing at Shaymbazar and took a long walk with her supporters up to Red Road. PM Modi arrived in Kolkata and paid a visit to Netaji Bhavan and drove to National Library. After that, he visited the Victoria Memorial Hall to inaugurate the Netaji Gallery. Mamata Banerjee too attended the event at VMH and took the dais with the PM. 

Mamata Banerjee, upon being invited to address, a section from the audience shouted, ‘Jai Shri Ram,’ which rattled the CM, who scoffed at being insulted and sat down without addressing the meet. The social networks and the TV media immediately exploded with the assault to the Bengal’s ethos, its culture, and the calculated assault on its Chief Minister.

For those who were watching the event, Mamata stayed a few feet behind, presumably sulking and avoiding the PM. I failed to see any interaction between them. Her body language may have revealed a degree of discomfiture. Her expression of anger came as no surprise.

Now, to all those who think that the culture has been brutally assaulted, think of the following options: 1) Didi takes the mike and says, “this is not Ayodhya, and I am not Ram. Please keep your chants for a later time.” 2) Had responded saying, “the event being Netaji’s anniversary, learn to say, Jai Hind.” 3) Keeping silent at the podium without uttering a word for a minute or two.’ Unspoken words would have had a profound impact on all, and she would have stated all without saying a word. She instead accused those who shouted as ‘insulters.’ One leader soon went on the now time tested ‘outsiders,’ filled in to wantonly take on the Hon’ble CM.

If one must tolerate political cartoons lampooning leaders, condone comedians pulling celebrities, it is also important not to get provoked by religious chants. ‘Jai Shri Ram,’ has become the singular expression of defiance against the State and its leader. I strongly condemn the raising of slogans in an event like this.

The daylong celebrations, reviving fond memories over the sacrifice of Netaji seems undone by the distaste from the finale. Referring to Jai Shri Ram as a political slogan would immensely the BJP, Mamata unwittingly did just that.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix