In a significant political development, the leader of the opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari, paid homage to the martyrs of the 2007 Nandigram anti-land acquisition movement and sparked controversy with his remarks about current and former chief ministers. The event, held on Wednesday to mark Nandigram Shaheed Tarpan Diwas, saw Adhikari, a key figure in the original agitation against the Left Front government, praising former Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee while launching a sharp attack on Mamata Banerjee.
Adhikari's Homage and Political Praise
Addressing a gathering at Sonachura, Suvendu Adhikari, now a BJP MLA, remembered the sacrifices of the Nandigram movement. In a notable shift, he lauded former CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee of the CPI(M), calling him "everyone's neta" (leader for all). Adhikari expressed a desire for a chief minister like Bhattacharjee, stating, "I want a CM like Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee who belongs to everyone."
He further made a symbolic pledge, linking his political future to the area's religious identity, saying, "Once the Ram Mandir is built in Nandigram, I will stay here as a son of the soil." However, his most pointed criticism was reserved for Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, whom he labelled as the "biggest beneficiary" of the Nandigram movement. He accused her of abandoning Nandigram after reaping its political rewards.
An Anecdote of Impartial Leadership
To underscore his praise for Bhattacharjee, Adhikari recalled an incident from 2008. He claimed that when a proposal was made to drop "false charges" against CPI(M) strongman Lakshman Seth, the then-CM intervened. "Buddhadeb Babu asked if there were false cases against me as well. He then ordered that if Seth's name was to be cleared, Suvendu's name must be cleared too," Adhikari narrated to the audience.
He contrasted this action with the current political climate, implying that Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee does not exhibit similar impartiality. This anecdote was used to paint Bhattacharjee as a fair administrator who stood above partisan politics in that instance.
TMC's Counter-Event and Fierce Rebuttal
The Trinamool Congress (TMC) did not take Adhikari's comments lightly. On the same day, they organized a counter-event at nearby Bhangabera. Led by leader Abu Sufiyan, TMC workers took out a candlelit march to honour the Nandigram martyrs.
From the Bhangabera stage, TMC leaders launched a scathing attack on Adhikari, dismissing his remarks as "opportunistic." They accused the BJP MLA of switching political sides for personal gain and attempting to hijack the legacy of the Nandigram movement for his own ends. The party issued a strong call to action, vowing to "uproot" Adhikari from Nandigram in the upcoming assembly elections.
The duelling events in Nandigram highlight the ongoing fierce battle for the political narrative and legacy of the pivotal 2007 movement. As the electoral landscape heats up, the fight over who truly represents the spirit of Nandigram's sacrifice continues to be a central theme in West Bengal's politics.
