Kolkata: After Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as “Bankim Da” in Parliament and Union minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat mispronounced the name of the composer of the national song, Trinamool Congress (TMC) said these are examples that show how “Bangla Birodhi” the saffron party is.
The party claimed that these instances once again proved that “ignorance” in the BJP is not only a solitary vice but a full-blown tradition. During his speech, the Prime Minister, on one occasion, referred to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as “Bankim Da,” prompting Trinamool Congress MP Sougata Roy to immediately object and say that PM Modi should use “Bankim Babu” instead. PM Modi quickly corrected himself and said, “I will say Bankim Babu.” Sekhawat called Chattopadhyay ‘Bankim Das Chatterjee’ and despite multiple attempts, he failed to address his correct name, alleged TMC.Senior TMC leader Chandrima Bhattacharya said that people of Bengal will give a befitting reply to the BJP for insulting the luminaries of Bengal.
“The incident where PM Modi called Chattopadhyay ‘Bankim Babu’ showed how anti-Bengal the BJP are. Insulting the great men from Bengal proved that the BJP has never been accustomed with the cultural heritage of Bengal. They (BJP) are anti-Bengal. Chattopadhyay who is a key architect of Renaissance has been referred as “Bankim Da” by none other than PM himself. These people cannot be Bengal’s own. They are outsiders,” Bhattacharya stated. She also reminded that BJP leader JP Nadda had earlier said that Rabindranath Tagore was born in Shantiniketan. They tried to appropriate Swamiji, only for Sukanta Majumdar to reduce him to an “ignorant leftist product.” They tried to appropriate Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, only to vandalise his bust,
she alleged. “And now, after the backlash over banning Vande Mataram in the Rajya Sabha, comes the latest farce. In a clumsy, performative display of CULTURAL COSPLAY, @narendramodi, insultingly patronising as always, refers to Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as “Bankim da.” No, Modi ji, Bengal does not casually slap the suffix “da” onto figures it venerates. Only a CULTURAL ILLITERATE would think that sounds respectful,” TMC posted on X.
The ruling party in Bengal also stated: “Gajendra Singh Shekhawat repeatedly referred to Rishi Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay as “Bankim Das Chatterjee,” twisting the name of the man who gave India Vande Mataram”.