Congress leader Rahul Gandhi evoked the sentiment of the Bengali intellect in his address here on Sunday, in what many felt was an indirect olive branch to chief minister Mamata Banerjee, a few days after she announced her decision to go to the Lok Sabha polls alone in Bengal in a setback to the INDIA bloc.
“Bengal is a special place, it is not just another place. When the fight was on with the Britishers, you Bengali people did the ideological work. You should not forget that you are intellectual people, thinking people and you move forward sharing a cordial relations with all,” said Rahul, who resumed his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in north Bengal on Sunday after a two-day break.
The Congress leaders referred to Bengali greats to drive home his message further.
“You should not think you do not have any responsibility; because you are a Bengali, it is your responsibility to show the way forward. Rabindranath Tagore did it, Subhas Chandra Bose did it, Vivekananda did it. You have the ability. If you do not show the way forward to the country, the country will not forgive you,” said the Congress MP.
With Bihar chief minister Nitesh Kumar quitting the INDIA bloc on Sunday, the Opposition front does not want any more setbacks.
It is common knowledge that Mamata is one of the most important members of the anti-BJP bloc because of the electoral clout demonstrated by her party, Trinamul, in Bengal.
Rahul said that it was the responsibility of everyone to fight against hatred.
“It is your responsibility, it is not the duty of one person, this fire is within every person of Bengal, even among the children. It is the responsibility of all to fight against hatred, move ahead together. And you need to unite Bharat with your intellect. I have come to give you this message because only you can do this work,” said Rahul.
Following Mamata’s recent announcement of going alone in the polls in Bengal, Rahul’s Yatra has not had smooth sailing in Bengal too.
Local Congress leaders alleged that the party was denied permission to hold a public rally. Many also accused the Trinamul leaders of putting up posters against Rahul during his first leg of the rally in Bengal.
Rahul, who decided to ride in a car instead of walking the 1.8km distance from Thana More to Airview More in Siliguri, refrained from talking about Trinamul.
The leader confined his 15-odd minute speech only to explain the need to unite India against the politics of polarisation and hatred, and the lack of jobs in a country that is witnessing growing economic disparity between the haves and the have-nots.
“It is clear the Congress does not want to antagonise Mamata Banerjee at any cost,” said an observer.
Rahul's Yatra attracted a big crowd despite the party's rather weak organisational strength in Siliguri. Supporters of the Hamro Party from Darjeeling were also present, including its chief Ajoy Edwards.