By Tirthankar Mitra
At the sight of the slogan “bhoi out, bhorsa in”, people sat up and took notice, making up their mind to vote for the BJP candidates in 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal. Little did these men and women who exercised their franchise in favour of the saffron camp nominees know that more the things change, the more they remain the same.
The assertion that fear is yet to fade away came from an unexpected source. It took a Cabinet minister to say this in an interaction with the voters of his constituency.
Health minister, Dr Sharadwat Mukherjee, was not much known beyond the circle of his patients and the medical circuit before he became a giant-killer, defeating redoubtable Trinamool Congress nominee, Sujit Bose, in the recent elections. In the fitness of things, he was given the health portfolio.
In keeping with the assurances of Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari and state BJP chief, Samik Bhattacharya, that the new dispensation would not allow any extortion (tola baji), Dr Mukherjee invited complaints/suggestions from residents of ward 28 of South Dum Dum municipality. It is a part of Bidhannagar Assembly constituency which he represents.
Alleging more of “syndicate raj” (a cartel of realtors) and tola baji, the complaints poured in. Apart from the nature of the charges, the complaints had another commonality.
They were mostly unsigned, and the reason why the complainants sought anonymity was not hard to fathom. It would range from a barrage of invectives, a stream of threats, not infrequent physical harassment. All this would eventually boil down to their leaving their familiar neighbourhood.
Dr Mukherjee needed no prompting to realise the complainants’ predicament. Accustomed to voicing his patients’ ailments, the senior oncologist said from the podium, “We are yet to achieve a state where bhoi is out and bhorsa in.”
Not being a seasoned politician, he chose to call a spade by no other name. “I hope the number of these unsigned complaints will drop by our next meeting,” he said continuing in the same vein.
The health minister’s frank words inadvertently binned the claims of CM Adhikari. Inviting investments in West Bengal, he had recently claimed that in the BJP regime, “syndicate” and “tola baji” had become things of the past.
These two malaises were identified as the two stumbling blocks in the path of West Bengal’s industrial rejuvenation. Now that the BJP dispensation has replaced the Trinamool Congress since May 2026, the citizens of Bengal naturally expected things to change.
While four months is too short a time to eradicate the evil extortion and realtor mafia, the seasoned politician that he is, CM Adhikari cannot clearly say it out aloud.
But his health minister, an eminent physician, is unaccustomed to hold back the nature of their ailment from his patients. He has spoken out of his usual habit.
Indeed, bhoi (fear) is yet to bid farewell to the residents of West Bengal. Nor has the ground been prepared for bhorsa (assurance) to dig its heels in.
Ironically enough, extortion money has been demanded in the name of none other than state BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya. The veteran politician has promptly denied any links with the extortionists. He has also asked the police to take action against those bandying his name.
A senior academic living in Jadavpur got a mouthful after he requested a BJP leader not to disturb the peace of the neighbourhood with a communally rabble-rousing speech. The eminent academic was asked to go to Pakistan after his harmony appeal.
The list of incidents of intimidation continues unabated. A BJP leader in Birbhum has called upon organisers of community Durga Pujas accepting state government largesse to put up pictures of CM Adhikari prominently in the pandals.
If this is not followed, “we will take action”, the BJP leader has said. “Bhoi” it seems has come to stay in West Bengal, while “bhorsa” is still a long way off.
Only the propagators of ‘bhoi’ have changed. Dr Mukherjee has hit the nail on the head.
At his next interaction with his voters, the good doctor will certainly get letters of complaints. And contrary to expectations, thought aloud, they are most likely to be unsigned. (IPA Service)
