“An outsider is somebody who comes here during election season to suck votes and then disappear.” Those are ugly words. And words of veteran TMC leader Derek O’Brien in conversation with Barkha Dutt earlier this year. This was the cornerstone of the TMC campaign against the BJP bringing apparent “outsiders” to Bengal.
In case you did not grasp the concept fully, Derek O’Brien explains the concept further.
“Let me give you an example… Let’s say Jaya Bachchan comes to Bengal and wishes to campaign. Would Jaya Bachchan be an outsider? I would say not. Jaya Bhaduri is an icon of this state. She knows, she understands the culture … even if you haven’t lived here … it doesn’t matter.”
Got it? Even if you haven’t lived in Bengal, you can be an “insider” like Jaya Bhaduri if you understand the “culture.”
Remember, this is not thinly veiled xenophobia. This, my friends, is Indian liberalism. Also this is more Indian liberalism. Got it?
Okay, so what do you make of this?
A Bengali chairperson of TMC, acting through her National General Secretary, also a Bengali, appoints a Lok Sabha MP from Bengal as “state in charge” of the party’s Goa unit! Why?
How is Mahua Moitra an “insider” in Goa? Why is one of India’s leading liberal political parties intent on thrusting an outsider on Goa? Is this not an insult to the people of the state?
Let us ask ourselves some simple questions. Why would TMC be contesting in Goa? Does the TMC have some kind of traditional base in Goa or in any neighbouring state? Have you heard prominent TMC leaders speak any of Goa’s major languages such as Konkani, Marathi, Kannada or Hindi? Historically, do you remember TMC leaders expressing any interest in discussing the culture, politics or issues of Goa?
The answers seem obvious. The TMC is contesting Goa for two reasons. First, because it is a tiny state. Second, because elections are coming there. Hey Derek O’Brien, this seems like it meets your definition of an outsider, no?
And what exactly could the Bengal CM be promising in Goa? Does Bengal present some kind of successful model for economic growth, attracting investment, etc that Goa seems to be lacking? Obviously not. In fact, Goa is India’s richest state. It is number one among all states and union territories in per capita GDP. In contrast, West Bengal comes in at a pathetic number 22 among Indian states and union territories in per capita GDP. Remember that BJP has not ruled West Bengal even for a day, not even as an insignificant junior partner in some alliance. So my dear Indian liberals, Bengal’s backwardness is totally on you.
So what agenda could the chief minister of one of India’s least developed states be bringing to India’s richest state? Whatever this means…
She is right. In terms of economy or wealth creation, the liberal TMC from Bengal has nothing to offer Goa. But Bengal is a “strong” state. Goa is not. In fact, Bengal has a population of over 10 crore people. The population of Goa is barely 20 lakhs.
So what is it called when the ruler of a “strong” state comes to take over a tiny state? It is called imperialism. Especially when that tiny state is so rich. Taking over tiny but rich Goa would likely give the “strong” ruler of Bengal the springboard to fund further expansion, and eventually even rule over the whole of India. That’s Imperialism 101.
And what does TMC do in its effort to take over Bengal? First, they find an ex-Chief Minister of Goa who is willing to join TMC. As an immediate reward, she gives him a Rajya Sabha seat, which many people would say is a standard way of sidelining someone from state politics. Who will be the state in charge of TMC for Goa? It will be Mahua Moitra, a loyalist of Mamata Banerjee from Bengal.
What is this pattern called? Surely, we can recognize this.
Like I said at the very beginning, it is not nice to refer to people as outsiders. An Indian from anywhere is an Indian everywhere. This is one of the most sacred principles at the heart of our constitution. And therefore it would be wrong to apply the outsider label to Mamata Banerjee anywhere in India. Except for the fact that the TMC itself has rejected this sacred principle so aggressively.
So can we now say that the Bengal CM is an imperialist in Goa? And what should we call her new state in charge in Goa? The Viceroy?
