At ground zero: Mamata recites poem, ministers and leaders sing

Security officials were in for a tough time with the chief minister breaking protocol and going into a field to spread mustard seeds to mark the beginning of cultivation on the ground, which she had once vowed she would return to farmers.

After a round of speeches from Mamata and other ministers, a cultural programme began with the recitation of ‘Mati’ — a poem penned by Mamata herself.

Keeping references to the Opposition minimal, Mamata in her speech focused on the victory of the 10-year-long land agitation, and what people in Singur gone through during those years.

At one point of time, ministers Partha Chatterjee and Firhad Hakim encouraged Becharam Manna — party MLA from the adjoining Haripal constituency — to join Sen and his team as they belted out folk songs.

The visibly uncomfortable Manna lip-synced whatever lyrics he knew and rushed back to his seat, touching Mamata’s feet on his way back.

Bauls received special notice during the celebrations, with Mamata inviting them to perform on the main stage when the programme was on its last legs. When Sen asked if he could sing while they made their way to the stage, she smiled and said: ‘Taratari koro. Beshi somoi nio na (Hurry up, don’t take too much time)”.

During the performance of baul songs, even Chief Secretary Basudeb Banerjee was seen leaving his seat and clapping to the tunes after the chief minister asked him to. With him were Home Secretary Malay De and Transport Secretary Alapan Bandopadhyay.

On the sidelines of the event, when a department secretary was asked if officials receive training in music and dance at the Lal Bahadur Shastri National Academy of Administration, he quipped — “No, it is part of on-the-job training.”