Yasmin also denied any resentment within the party. “I have been nominated because people wanted me. Party workers have welcomed me wholeheartedly,” she said.
Months after 38-year-old Sabina Yasmin lost her nine-year-old daughter to a crude bomb blast during TMC’s victory rally in Kaliganj Assembly bypoll in Nadia district of West Bengal, she is finding herself in the political spotlight.
In a surprise move, the CPI(M) fielded Yasmin from the same Assembly seat to take on TMC’s Alifa Ahmed, which has already angered a section of Left cadres who ransacked the local party office on Tuesday.
Speaking to The Indian Express, Yasmin said she joined politics for her fight to get justice.
“I have been fighting for the last nine months. Before my daughter was killed in the blast, I was never associated with politics. Our village used to vote for the CPI(M). They (TMC) attacked all our houses after the bypoll results in which the TMC won,” she said.
“What was my daughter’s fault? She didn’t even know what politics meant,” she added.
During TMC’s victory procession on June 23 last year, Tamanna Khatun, a student of Class 4, was standing on the verandah of her home at Mulundi village — a Left Front stronghold — when a crude bomb exploded nearby. Tamanna was critically injured. She died shortly after. Locals alleged that TMC hurled crude bombs during the victory procession, targeting the houses of CPI(M) supporters.
While the death of her nine-year-old daughter left Yasmin broken, seeing her child’s attacker roaming freely in the neighbourhood added to her trauma. She even tried to kill herself, but refused to take money from local TMC leaders.
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On Monday, while releasing the candidates’ list at CPI(M) headquarters at Kolkata’s Alimuddin Street, Left Front chairman Biman Bose had described Yasmin as “the mother of our martyr child Tamanna”.
“I was married at the age of 14. I never went to school. Party supporters and leaders think I should be the candidate from here and continue my fight for justice as an MLA. So, they chose me as the candidate. I will fight. However, my husband and other family members are worried that our house may be attacked again. But I am not bothered because I have nothing more to lose,” Yasmin said on Tuesday.
“If I win, I will be able to help innocent people who are fighting like me to get justice,” she added. Meanwhile, a senior CPI(M) leader of Nadia district played down the protest by local cadres who ransacked the party’s office in Palashi.
“We are not worried about such a protest. This will not reflect once the campaign begins. We are approaching other parties to back Yasmin as she is a victim of violence carried out by the TMC. We are also requesting Congress supporters to vote for her as she had lost her child for their candidate,” the CPI(M) leader said, referring to the Congress contesting the last year’s bypoll as CPI(M)’s alliance partner.
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In this Assembly election, the Congress has decided to contest alone.
Yasmin also denied any resentment within the party. “I have been nominated because people wanted me. Party workers have welcomed me wholeheartedly,” she said.
Atri Mitra is a highly accomplished Special Correspondent for The Indian Express, bringing over 20 years of experience to his reporting. His work is characterized by deep regional knowledge and a focus on critical administrative and political developments, establishing strong Expertise and Authority in his domain.
Experience
Current Role: Special Correspondent, The Indian Express.
Decades of Experience: Over two decades of extensive reporting experience, primarily covering administration and political news.
Geographical Focus: Holds significant reporting experience from West Bengal, Bihar, and the North-East, providing a comprehensive understanding of the socio-political landscape in these regions.
Key Coverage: Has dedicated more than ten years to covering administration and political news, with a keen focus on political developments in West Bengal.
Electoral Reporting: Demonstrated a commitment to crucial political moments, having covered the 2009 Lok Sabha election and 2010 assembly elections during his time at Anandabazar Patrika, and the 2019 Bihar Lok Sabha election while working with News18-Bangla.
Career Foundation: Began his career at the leading vernacular daily Anandabazar Patrika, where he worked for more than fifteen years, including a three-year stint as the Bihar correspondent.
Education
Advanced Degree: Holds a Master's degree in Economics from Rabindrabharati University, providing an analytical framework for his political and administrative reporting.
Undergraduate Education: Holds a Bachelor's degree from Calcutta University.
Prestigious Alumni: His educational background includes attending esteemed institutions: he is an alumnus of St. Xavier's, Kolkata and Ramakrishna Mission Asrama, Narendrapur.
Atri Mitra's decades of dedicated reporting, substantial focus on political and administrative beats, and solid academic credentials make him a trusted and authoritative source for news and analysis from Eastern and North-Eastern India. ... Read More
