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News18
20 hours ago
- Politics
- News18
Jai Shri Ram Vs Jai Ma Kali: BJP Looks To Connect With Bengali 'Asmita', TMC Mocks 'Imitation'
TMC plans to set a narrative that BJP, which once aggressively projected the slogan 'Jai Shri Ram', has been compelled to adopt chants like 'Jai Ma Kali' under its influence The day Samik Bhattacharya was picked and felicitated as the Bengal president of BJP, the presence of Ma Kali's image on stage had sparked wide discussions. Now, in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Durgapur, the display of Matri Shakti (divine feminine power) was seen in full force. Starting his speech in Durgapur, PM Modi raised the slogans 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai," followed by 'Jai Ma Durga, Jai Ma Kali". Not only did he raise these chants during his address, but this time, the BJP's official invitation also carried the words 'Jai Ma Durga" and 'Jai Ma Kali". Sensing an opportunity, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) is planning to take up the issue strongly. Party spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said, 'The prime minister says he wants development. But what does development mean? It means Mamata Banerjee and her government—Maa, Mati, Manush. It was there, it is there, and it will remain. But what has changed? PM Modi. Earlier it was Jai Shri Ram, now it has become Jai Ma Kali. Has PM Modi changed so much? They used to say Mamata Banerjee does not celebrate Durga Puja. Now, 11 years after becoming PM, Bengal has changed him." He added, 'Today, one good thing we observed was that 'Jai Shri Ram' was not uttered even once." TMC insiders reveal that the party plans to set a narrative suggesting that BJP, which once aggressively projected the slogan 'Jai Shri Ram", has now been compelled to adopt chants like 'Jai Ma Kali" and 'Jai Ma Durga" under TMC's influence. The party intends to position itself as understanding Bengali culture deeply, while portraying the BJP as an outsider merely imitating them. However, this theory is countered by another section of political analysts who argue that BJP's strategy is to connect with Bengali asmita (pride)—similar to their approach in Odisha—although the models in both states differ significantly. Over the past decade, the BJP has consistently tried to align with Bengali cultural identity. This time, their focus on the Bengali Renaissance and cultural heritage is aimed at appealing to the bhadra lok (educated middle class). Chants like 'Jai Ma Kali" and 'Jai Ma Durga" resonate deeply with the masses of Bengal, experts say, and this is part of BJP's strategy to establish a cultural connect. However, they clarify that this does not imply 'Jai Shri Ram" is losing relevance. After all, Bengal's biggest festival, Durga Puja, has its mythological roots in Akalabodhana [worship of goddess Durga] by Lord Ram, establishing a strong narrative link. Experts assert that BJP's Bengali asmita agenda is clear—the party will continue to weave cultural, religious, and regional pride into its political messaging in every possible way. view comments First Published: July 19, 2025, 11:03 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
TMC lauds PM's ‘poribartan'
Kolkata: on Friday feted the "poribartan (change)" in Prime Minister hours after he began his speech at Durgapur with "Jai Ma Kali, Jai Ma Durga". "The PM said he wants poribartan (change). Tired of too many ads? go ad free now But what has changed? The change has come in Narendra Modi. He has shifted from chanting 'Jai Sri Ram' to 'Jai Ma Kali' and 'Jai Ma Durga'. Such a transformation shows Bengal's soil has changed him," Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh said at a press meet where 'singara' and 'jalebi' were served to all as a reminder to the now-withdrawn diktat against these traditional Indian snacks by the central govt. Accusing of using God as "a political brand ambassador" and, therefore, leaning on Lord Ram, Ghosh said, "Some leaders on the dais chanted Jai Sri Ram today as well, but the PM quickly made his stance clear by paying homage to Ma Kali and Ma Durga." At the same press meet, minister Chandrima Bhattacharya slammed the PM for claiming that youth were fleeing the state due to a lack of jobs. "Bengali labourers are skilled, which is why they work all over India," she said, and drawing attention to the harassment of Bengali-speaking workers in BJP-governed states, she added, "You are hindering the right to speech and movement. You are insulting Bengalis. Your double-engine govts are expelling Bengalis, labelling them Rohingya. It is clear that you are under pressure to learn Bengali. Why didn't you criticise the expelling of Bengalis from BJP-governed states?" In a post on X, Trinamool Congress also demanded answers to five questions: "Is speaking Bangla a crime? If yes, does that make him a criminal too for singing the National Anthem and National Song, both written in Bangla? If no, why are Bengali-speaking citizens being detained and deported in BJP-ruled states? Which provision of the Constitution allows state-sponsored persecution based on language? And does BJP truly believe this is how they'll earn the mandate of the people of Bengal?" Countering the PM's claims on women being unsafe in Bengal, Bhattacharya asked, "Do you have deep concern for women? What about the girl in Odisha who burned herself to death? You said nothing about her. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Here, all crimes against women are taken seriously, with quick arrests, be it RG Kar or the law college incident. We criticise such crimes." Ghosh alleged the PM was engaging in political deceit since he had arrived in Bengal empty-handed, without settling the state's NREGA scheme dues worth Rs 1.7 lakh crores. "He spoke of an invisible Rs 5,000 crore and is spreading falsehoods. He promised 22 crore jobs, but in reality, only 22 lakh jobs were provided. He is only spreading lies. BJP will not even get 50 seats in the upcoming state election," he said. Earlier in the day, minister Sashi Panja criticised the Centre for their inability to nab the terrorists behind the Pahalgam attack. "It has been 88 days since 26 people were brutally killed in the Pahalgam terror attack, yet the nation has received no answers. Who allowed terrorists to infiltrate 200 km, kill, and vanish undetected? If this is a security lapse, it is also a grave intelligence failure. Bengal demands to know, where are the attackers? What happened after the sketches were released? Silence is not an option," she said.
News18
05-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Ram To Kali, Veg To Mutton: With Samik As Boss, BJP Gets Belated Image Makeover In Bengal
Last Updated: With the assembly election results due in May 2026, there is limited time for BJP's cadres and leaders to capitalise on these changes It was late March 2021, and the West Bengal election campaign was at its peak as the summer in rural parts became unbearable. In the Lalgarh area of Jhargram district, once a Maoist stronghold, the Bharatiya Janata Party held an election rally. Locals, mostly from the Santhal community, gathered to listen in the sweltering afternoon when the star speaker, Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, arrived and delivered his nearly 30-minute speech, ending with ' Jai Shri Ram '. There was hardly any applause. The lack of response wasn't due to dislike for Maurya, but because the Santhals of Bengal barely understand Bengali, let alone Hindi—a simple fact the BJP local leadership overlooked. Many BJP national leaders in Bengal in 2021 failed to make an impact. For years, it was evident, but very few Bengal BJP leaders had the courage to tell the party's central leadership that they were seen as outsiders. While this perception is largely due to the ruling Trinamool Congress's well-planned narrative curated by poll strategists I-PAC, part of the blame lies with the BJP. After their loss, BJP leaders began speaking openly, with some turning rebel within party forums. Four years later, with less than a year until the next assembly election, the BJP seems to have recognised the merit in those arguments and has recalibrated to align itself with Bengali ethos and culture. Urban Bhadralok and 'Jai Ma Kali' The choice of the BJP's new state president suggests the party now wants urban votes it previously claimed not to need. Unlike Sukanta Majumdar from Balurghat in South Dinajpur and Suvendu Adhikari from Nandigram in East Medinipur, Samik Bhattacharya is a resident of Salt Lake City near Kolkata. Suave, proficient in English and Hindi, and with an excellent command of Bengali, Bhattacharya prefers shirts and trousers over kurta and pajama, making him relatable to middle-class Bengalis. In 2021, the TMC dominated Greater Kolkata and did well in urban areas with over 50% vote share. With a Bengali 'bhadralok" as party boss, the BJP sought to remake its image into a Bengali party. Over the last ten years, Lord Ram has stormed Bengal's socio-political milieu with 'Jai Shri Ram". Though Lord Ram is familiar to Bengal, he was never introduced as a political tool, depicted more like a Bengali man in granny stories. While VHP, Bajrang Dal, and BJP heavily promoted Ram Navami and Hanuman Jayanti, Bengal has always been about Goddess Kali and Jagannath Mahaprabhu. 'Jai Ma Kali" is not a slogan but a personal utterance. The BJP seems to have understood this. During the handover ceremony, Syama Prasad Mookerjee's photo was on one side, PM Modi's photo was on the other, and between them was a grand elevated photo of Goddess Kali. When in Rome, do as the Romans do. West Bengal's co-incharge Amit Malviya's statement that his party will 'reclaim Bengal's true identity" and allegations that 'TMC is attempting to Urdu-fy Bengal" clearly indicate that BJP is fighting not just elections but for 'the soul of Bengal". In the days to come, we will reclaim Bengal's true identity, rooted in Maa Kali, Maa Durga, Devi Chandi, Mahaprabhu Chaitanya, and the fearless spirit of Banga BJP is the only pro-Bengali party born in Bengal. Others are either political imports or dynastic offshoots… — Amit Malviya (@amitmalviya) July 4, 2025 What's veg? 98% eat non-veg here Lastly, there has been a shift towards non-vegetarianism in the West Bengal BJP with Samik Bhattacharya's accession. On the day Ravi Shankar Prasad officially announced him as West Bengal's next BJP president, the media crew was offered pulao and mutton curry, say sources. However, for the 5,000 BJP cadres and leaders, the menu was a simple vegetarian meal—rice, dal, and vegetables. This is significant since the TMC portrays the BJP as a 'vegetarian party" and suggests electing it would mean giving up fish, a staple in Bengali households. This April, after a purported video of saffron-clad men forcing fish shop owners near a temple in Delhi's CR Park to shut their establishments was played out in Bengal, TMC MP Mahua Moitra shared the clip on her X handle and questioned if the BJP would dictate what to eat and where to have legal shops. BJP's Bishnupur (West Bengal) MP Saumitra Khan clarified that the three individuals threatening fish shop owners were not BJP members, but the damage was done in West Bengal. Though the BJP in West Bengal has organised meals with chicken for a few years, Bengali mutton is considered the quintessential meat. Samik Bhattacharya's era seems to have embraced this as well. Is it enough? While the recent changes were overdue, earlier implementation could have given the party a chance to yield political benefits. With the assembly election results due in May 2026, there is limited time for BJP's cadres and leaders to capitalise on these changes. Despite many leaders personally being non-vegetarian, BJP cadres and leaders shying away from publicly eating non-veg meals at large events during Samik Bhattacharya's accession reaffirms TMC's narrative that the saffron party will stop Bengalis from eating fish if it comes to power. In Tripura, Sunil Deodhar learnt Kokborok and publicly ate fish to resonate with the state's population, leading to the BJP's sweep five years later. A senior BJP leader like Malviya discussing Anushilan Samiti implies the party will campaign on Bengal and Bengali Pride using icons like Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, Satish Chandra Basu, Bipin Chandra Pal, and Rabindranath Tagore, whose sense of nationalism aligns with BJP's and may help it establish a Bengali identity. But will the voters of West Bengal be convinced? We will have to wait until May 2026. About the Author Anindya Banerjee Anindya Banerjee, Associate Editor brings over fifteen years of journalistic courage to the forefront. With a keen focus on politics and policy, Anindya has garnered a wealth of experience, with deep throat in ...Read More First Published:
