When Didi Speaks of Slaps: Mamata Banerjee wanting to give PM Modi a ‘tight slap of democracy’ actually insults democracy

After her shenanigans over the CBI desiring to question Kolktata’s police chief in a chit fund scam case, many thought Mamata Banerjee could no longer surprise with her frequently churlish behaviour.

However, she’s done exactly that.

After cyclone Fani recently hit Tamluk, in East Midnapore district, West Bengal’s chief minister Mamata Banerjee refused to take part in a review meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Gagged Bengal? Is Mamata Banerjee showing the same dictatorial traits that she accuses Narendra Modi of? (PHOTO CREDIT)

She didn’t just stop there. The West Bengal chief minister reportedly contended that she does not consider Modi to be her Prime Ministerand that she apparently feels like giving him a tight slap of democracy.

This shows how Banerjee pays regard to the democratic principles laid down in the Constitution of the country.

Banerjee and Modi have locked horns in a bitter battle over the 42 Lok Sabha seats of the eastern state of West Bengal. While the BJP wants to increase its tally in West Bengal by winning 20-plus seats (to offset probable losses in Uttar Pradesh), Banerjee sees a victory on over 30 seats as a ticket to the PM’s chair, if no party manages to get a clear majority on May 23.

In 2014, the Trinamool Congress (TMC) won 34 seats. The BJP managed two.

The pressure to win seats is not an academic one. It yields clear and tangible results, which is why its processes are so important. Narendra Modi was elected India’s PM following the same democratic processes that also allow Banerjee to hold the chief minister’s chair. The same processes also allow Banerjee to dream of a day when she too could be a PM.

But to say that she will not participate in a disaster review meet with Modi now, because she doesn’t consider him PM, is tantamount to saying she doesn’t believe in the Constitution and its mandated procedures.

Further, to reportedly want to ‘slap’ the PM, an elected representative of the people and holder of the highest democratic office, is a verbal display of sheer goondaism.

Keep it Parliamentary: The language Mamata Banerjee is using against the PM is condemnable. (Source: India Today)

After it came to light that despite indulging in public spats with the PM, Banerjee apparently sends him sweets to keep the doors of communication open, an embarrassed Banerjee said she would like to send Modi roshogollas made of mud, pebbles so that he loses his teeth.

Many in this country chuckle at Banerjee’s barbs — but the implications of how she is practising her politics could be very grave. When natural disasters strike any part of India, it is incumbent upon our leaders to bury their differences and work for the people in unison. The country is not a small household where people refuse to talk to each other due to personal differences, borne out of selfish egos or ambitions.

But Banerjee and her party have shown little regard for such constitutional provisions. The truth on the ground is even worse. The culture of violence that Bengal has been witnessing under Banerjee each election season shows how little she in fact values democracy.

Yes, Bengal’s culture of political violence is an old one. Yes, Banerjee has herself suffered at the hands of the violence unleashed by cadres of the Community party in the state. But equally, none of that gives her the right to perpetuate the same culture because then, West Bengal can never break out of the circle of bloodshed. There will be no change. And people will never be able to vote without fear.

Liberal voices have been silent or muted in condemning Banerjee for using the language of violence, even as houses of people have reportedly been burnt in the state as ‘punishment’ for voting for parties other than the TMC. The victory Trinamool Congress claimed in the state’s 2018 panchayat polls had blood spilled all over it. Such was the terror reportedly rained down by TMC men that on over one-third of the 58,792 seats, the BJP and Left Front could not even field their candidates.

Fires across Bengal: Violence is on the rise in Mamata Banerjee’s West Bengal. (Source: Reuters)

Data shows that since 2015, there has been a sharp rise in incidents of violence in Bengal. It makes grim sense — when the chief minister of a state talks about slapping the prime minister of the country, we can imagine where the state is headed.

Even during the Lok Sabha elections, every phase of polling so far has seen videos of terrible violence emerge from West Bengal.

It is for this reason that Banerjee needs to be condemned unequivocally for toying with democracy in West Bengal.

Every Indian has the right to vote in the country, without fear of intimidation or reprisals based on who the person votes for. West Bengal is no exception. It is the duty of every leader to ensure that not even one person is denied this right.

Mamata Banerjee doesn’t stand above these rules.

Didi should know that.