Can feel the pain of common people, says TMC's Manoranjan Byapari

KOLKATA: Award-winning activist writer and pioneer of Dalit literature Manoranjan Byapari, who is contesting from Balagarh Assembly constituency of Hooghly, exuded confidence in his victory after being lauded by the people of his constituency.

Byapari, a resident of Khudirabad in South 24-Parganas, said: "I am visiting various households in the district and the way people are accepting me, I am delighted. I represent the voice of the common people as I come from an ordinary background. I have pulled rickshaw during my childhood. I can feel the pain of the common people."

According to Byapari, he visited around 200 households and listened to the struggles of the common people. He even highlighted the schemes of the state government and found that most of the people had enrolled for the schemes through the Duare Sarkar campaign.

"Our society is divided between 'chotolok' (lower class) and 'bhodrolok' (elite). The upper class or elite do not support and appreciate the lower class people. In my constituency, I have seen that common people from various sections of society want to meet with me," he said.

Byapari used to cook mid day meals in several state-run schools. But, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee offered him a job at the school library.

"When I heard that I will contest from Balagarh constituency, I resigned from my government job. I am confident of winning this constituency. I will help people whenever they require," added Byapari.

Byapari was once an active Naxalite, when CPI (M) was in power. The agrarian revolt that flared up in nearby Naxalbari in 1967 drew Byapari. Since 1981, Byapari has authored a dozen novels and over a hundred short stories, apart from non-fiction essays.

Byapari features as the penultimate entry in Vol. 2 in the compendium of Bengali literature's elite. He lives with his wife and son Manik.