KOLKATA: West Bengal has been favourite tourist destination for Narendra Modi’s most reliable lieutenant and Chanakya of BJP, Home Minister Amit Shah. But Sunday, October 27, visit was different. He used the occasion of an official engagement to launch the election campaign though the assembly elections will be held in April/ May 2026 .
But what was most noticeable was this visit did not augur well for him. The agitating junior doctors as also the common citizen of the state are feeling insulted by his indifferent attitude towards the prevailing political situation and his refusal to give a hearing to the parents of the raped and killed woman medic of R G Kar Hospital.
After assured of a patient hearing by Shah, which was conveyed to her parents by the state BJP leaders, her father had made a written request to him for “insight, guidance, and help”. He was quite sure of a meeting which would have eased the family of “immense mental pressure and helplessness” under which they were going. Father of the medic wrote; “I am the father of Abhaya, and I am writing to request an appointment with you at your convenience or at any other location you may suggest. After that heinous unforeseen incident happened to our daughter, we are going through tremendous mental pressure and feeling helpless now”.
Hapless father nursed the belief that Shah’s experience and guidance would be invaluable in the situation. He wrote; “I, along with my wife, want to meet you to discuss a few things regarding the situation and pray for your guidance and help. I would be truly grateful for the opportunity to speak with you and gain your insights on the issue, as I believe your experience and guidance would be invaluable”.
But apparently Shah was so captivated by his electoral priorities and compulsions that he preferred to ignore his request. Neither the office of Shah nor the state BJP leaders apprised the father of the reason. Till Shah left for Delhi the father of Abhaya was expecting a hearing. Nevertheless, some state BJP leaders feel that there are at least two major reasons for Shah distancing from medic’s parents. It is worth recalling that just after the gruesome incident which took place on August 9, Shah had signalled the state leaders to take up the issue seriously.
The BJP leaders are not so specific, but confide that Shah nursed the feeling that father of the medic was trying to politicise the issue and this would prove to be detrimental to the party. Already the CBI is at work and the Supreme Court was also seized with the task. If he has some additional information and material he could have apprised him and for this certainly there was no need for a hearing. There is also a lurking apprehension that he is being used by some elements opposed to BJP. The leaders cite the statement of a junior doctor, who was also part of the protest movement, “The parents have every right to seek justice. We will also continue our demands to seek justice for Abhaya”, to express their apprehensions.
Shah’s voyage as usual had the titillating element. He made a solemn promise to the people of Bengal to change the power structure and bring BJP in power. The most ridiculous observation he made at the official bash was the state is still witnessing massive infiltration and the BJP government will end infiltration and corruption by 2026.
Nevertheless the question that is making rounds in the political circle and has turned the original state BJP leaders restless is, what made Shah to formally launch election campaign in the state. He ought to have devoted his precious time in the neighbouring Jharkhand, where Modi has his personal interest at stake, he has been devoting time in Bengal. It raises the question, whether everything is politically correct in the party. Some leaders point out that for some time a major chunk of the turncoat BJP leaders were planning to go back to their parent party, the TMC of Mamata. If they really desert just ahead of the assembly election, the BJP will have a big crisis.
Yet another piece of information is quite alarming. Subhendu Adhikari and his close associates have of late been feeling sidelined in the decision making process. Central leadership has also been cold shouldering them. A section of these leaders have been jockeying with the idea to float a separate party and enter into electoral alliance with the Congress and even CPI(M). Once they leave the BJP, their acceptability graph will rise in the political circle. These leaders nurse the view that the BJP does not have a future in the state and failure of the RSS and BJP to exploit peoples’ anguish arising out of murder of medic has simply endorsed their perception.
These leaders are also betrayed at the failure of central leaders to protect the citizenship right of the millions of Bangladeshi Hindus who settled in the state before 1971. Though RSS has been trying to make the security of the Hindus in that country as its main election agenda in 2026 assembly election, it was not concerned of the rights of those who are settled here for decades and have become the integral part of the Bengali society.
These leaders feel that the Shah’s promise to stop infiltration at the Indo-Bangladesh border if BJP wins Bengal in 2026 has no relevance. He has been making this promise ever since Modi came to power and he became the home minister. But he has in true sense failed miserably. They point out if he has really been serious and sincere to stop it hew could being the home minister should have issued strict orders for BSF and other forces to stop it at any cost. They seek to know for how long he would play with the sentiments of the people.
Their questioning Shah’s moves and intentions echoes Mamata’s allegation that Modi-Shah were ill treating the state and denying the benefits to the people of the state. They also point out Shah’s statement that funds sent by the Modi government are routed to corrupt Trinamool leaders. “Mamata Didi talks about injustice in MGNREGA. You (Mamata) were part of UPA. But now in the NDA regime, Modi, in the last ten years, has sent Rs 56,000crore for NREGA.” But at the same time underline his observation: “ those who have been getting hundred days of work should be told in clear words of the benefits they were getting from BJP and should also be told that once party comes to power in 2026, it would settle the account’. Political circles are trying to make out the real intentions of Shah behind this observation: whether this is a threat, vote BJP or it will stop benefits. (IPA Service)