Kolkata: Politics in West Bengal on Wednesday took a dramatic turn when Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders took to the streets to celebrate Ram Navami, throwing a challenge at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has been fast consolidating its support base among Hindu voters.
TMC leaders say the diktat came from the party chief Mamata Banerjee, who is looking to address a concern that she cares so much for Muslims that Hindus are getting alienated from her party.
It is estimated that around 30% of the state’s voters are Muslims and they have consistently backed the TMC from 2011, when Banerjee took office as the state’s chief minister.
In a significant break from the past, TMC leaders will be routinely seen from now on taking part in Hindu festivities. So if it was Ram Navami on Wednesday, it’s going to be Hanuman Jayanti next week, said top TMC leaders, asking not to be identified.
At the same time, the chief minister attacked the BJP for using Hindutva to polarise people against the secular culture of India.
Jitendra Tiwari, the mayor of Asansol town, said this wasn’t the first time he took part in Ram Navami celebrations, adding that this year the turnout from among TMC supporters was much bigger than any other year. “Ram isn’t the BJP’s property, is it?” he asked.
Subhrangshu Roy, another TMC lawmaker, who took part in Wednesday’s festivities, said he celebrates both Hindu and Muslim festivals, and that he has been doing so for years.
However, the Hindu outfits managed to get more attention and people to join their rallies. Kolkata itself saw at least six major rallies, one of which walked through a Muslim-dominated neighbourhood. Bidyut Mukherjee, a spokesperson, claimed these rallies were not organised by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) but admitted that it had supported the organizers in every possible way.
Asked about the huge turnout, Mukherjee said it was the result of “the oppression” that Hindus in West Bengal are facing lately.
“This is a new brand of politics from Banerjee,” said Biswanath Chakraborty, a professor of social sciences at Rabindra Bharati University and an election analyst.
The BJP and RSS are playing the Hindutva card in West Bengal because it worked in north India, according to Chakraborty. “On the other hand, in West Bengal, the chief minister has been a bit late in realizing that she needs Hindus by her side as well,” he said.
