Mamata Banerjee seems to be watching her empire disintegrate right before her eyes. Nandigram, the very place from where she launched her political uprise in 2007, could prove to be her Waterloo. As Mamata Banerjee decides to take on Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram, the Chief Minister seems to have decided to prove her Hindu credentials just before filing nominations.
Addressing TMC workers in Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee recited several Hindu mantras, including the Chandipaath, for 10 minutes straight to counter the ‘Muslim appeasement’ charge mounted by the BJP. “I do Chandipath before stepping out every day,” said Mamata Banerjee adding, the BJP should not “play its Hindu card with me”, Mamata Banerjee said.
“I am a Hindu girl too. Don’t play the Hindu card with me. Tell me, do you know how to be a good Hindu”, she continued. Mamata Banerjee is likely to file her nomination from Nandigram on Wednesday.
#WATCH West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee recites 'Chandi Path' during her public rally in Nandigram pic.twitter.com/7PC0eTwGwc
— ANI (@ANI) March 9, 2021
It was Nandigram from where Mamata Banerjee had launched her crusade against the Left government with the indispensable help of Suvendu Adhikari. Mamata Banerjee then won the 2011 elections. Suvendu Adhikari has proved to be instrumental in her political rise as he holds sway over Nandigram and belongs to the powerful Adhikari family.
Interestingly, Suvendu Adhikari during his speech on the 7th of March, just before PM Modi addressed lakhs of people at Brigade Ground, had said that Mamata Banerjee had claimed that she will turn Kolkata into London, but the way she has governed, West Bengal would turn into Kashmir very soon if she is not discharged of her duties.
BJP itself has been accusing Mamata Banerjee of appeasing the Minority at the cost of Hindus. Mamata herself, who is chanting the Chandipaath today, has displayed extreme wrath at the mere chant of Jai Shree Ram. In 2019, a video had gone viral on social media where Mamata Banerjee could be seen getting down from her vehicle after hearing chants of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and confronting the people who shouted the slogan as her vehicle was passing by. Visibly irked Mamata claimed that abuses were hurled at her.
Recently, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was seen walking out of the stage refusing to address the public gathered at Kolkata’s Victoria Memorial for Netaji birth anniversary celebrations after being irked by a few individuals in the crowd chanting Jai Shree Ram.
Coupled with her deep aversion for chants of Jai Shree Ram, her silence over several communal clashes where Hindus were victimised in the state and her minority appeasing policies, BJP has repeatedly targeted Mamata Banerjee. While Mamata today chants the Chandipaath, it remains to be seen if her newfound love for Hinduism will help her garner votes against Suvendu Adhikari in Nandigram.
