‘Losing a day’s wages worth it to hear Didi’
We might not be able to see her but being able to hear her voice is more than enough for us, said 63-year old Arati Chakrobarty,who had come all the way from Rajpur,South 24 Parganas,just to get a glimpse of Didi.
“We might not be able to see her but being able to hear her voice is more than enough for us,” said 63-year old Arati Chakrobarty,who had come all the way from Rajpur,South 24 Parganas,just to get a glimpse of ‘Didi’. Almost every person among the thousands who had thronged the Esplanade region,reiterated Arati when they said that sheer love for the leader of ‘Ma-mati-manush’ had brought them there. Banerjee’s Martyr’s Day actually turned into a day of celebration for millions.
So enthusiastic was the crowd to be part of the Shahid Divas celebrations that many of them,despite being daily wage earners,said they did not mind losing a day’s work and bearing the expense of traveling a huge distance with their families. “So what if I am not working for a day? I am more than happy to be present at the rally. But I thought I would be able to have a closer view. Unfortunately I can’t see her,” said construction labourer Shiv Shankar Paswan from Raniganj,who joined a Mamata Banerjee rally for the first time.
The euphoria was not limited to adults but trickled down to children too,who were present in sizable numbers in the all-out political rally. So much so,that some parents were urged by their children to bring their families to the rally. “I have been coming to the rally for the last 17 years,since 1993. But this is the first time my wife Vandana and children Supratik and Sampad,studying in Class III and KG II,are also here,just because Supratik,my youngest,was hell bent on coming here and seeing Didi,” said Shankar Das,a resident of Ward 123 in Behala.
The crowd was a mixed one,with veterans being joined by first-timers. While Lata Sarkar,president of the Trinamool Congress women’s unit of ward 125,and her friends have been attending the Shahid Divas rally for the last 17 years,this was the first time for their neighbour Chandrani Chatterjee,25.
Youths from several colleges with Trinamool units were conspicuous by their presence. “About 20 students have come. Three more lorries with more students will reach here in no time,” said Nirmal Bhattacharya,a B.Sc student of Ashutosh College.
The official reason for the occasion might have been to remember the martyrs,but the mood was that of a carnival,with countless number of vendors selling various food items. From lemon tea,jhal muri,fries,fruits,peanuts to luchi-aloor dum and patties,all kind of arrangements were ready for the rallyists,who had traveled from different parts of the state.
Mamata merchandise were also high in demand. Arvind Sau,a vendor selling posters and framed photographs of Banerjee,said he had sold about 100 pieces in just an hour. “Our items are selling like hot cakes,the number having reached about 1,000. Mostly people from the rural areas are buying these but we also have some stipulated clients from the city,” said Kanai Debnath,Marketing Consultant with Sentur Cartoon,an organization selling calenders,magazines and CDs carrying satirical pieces on the Left Front government and portraying Banerjee’s achievements. “About 400 pieces of the calender,2,000 of the magazine and 200 of the CDs,priced at Rs 50,Rs 10 and Rs 50 respectively,have been sold till now,” said Debnath. Orange and green balloons and masks,resembling the Trinamool flag,were also being sold on the spot.
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