Kolkata: Fashion Designer Agnimitra Paul has also worked with Bollywood celebrities and is known for her social work. However, with her joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the designer is all set to make a mark as a politician. She is expecting to get a ticket to contest the Lok Sabha election in Bengal, as the BJP has yet to field candidates from two seats in the state.
eNewsroom: From being Agnimitra Paul, the acclaimed fashion designer, you are now Agnimitra Paul, the politician…
Agnimitra: (Laughs). I might don different mantles, but I will always remain dedicated to the work entrusted to me.
eNewsroom: Why did you opt to join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)?
Agnimitra: I joined the BJP because I revere and admire Prime Minister Mr Narendra Modi. I have been following his work, his diplomatic policies and the various yojnas that he has introduced, and in him, I find a leader who is a visionary, a doer and someone who believes in leading from the front. He is always promoting India and has been working hard to put our country on the global map. Just look at the attention and position India has garnered on the international stage under his leadership! I am in awe of him, and he is my inspiration. I would really like to work with him and for him. I am looking forward to contributing to the kind of work he is doing.
eNewsroom: So, will you be contesting in the elections this year?
Agnimitra: I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity to become part of the BJP, and if the party deems me fit and gives me a ticket, then I shall definitely contest the forthcoming elections. The party is yet to announce candidates for two more seats in West Bengal. Let’s wait and watch.
eNewsroom: Did you always nurture an ambition to become a politician?
Agnimitra: As you are aware, I have always been interested and actively involved in social work and social causes. I love working for the betterment of people, especially the underprivileged, and it was my friend Mr Parthasarathy Chowdhury who first suggested that I should join politics, as that would enable me to reach out to more people and work for them on a larger scale. Parthasarathy had earlier been instrumental in my joining the censor board in 2016, and once again, he acted as the catalyst…
eNewsroom: …And a friend’s suggestion turned into a motivating factor…
Agnimitra: It did, but not overnight. The more I thought about his suggestion, the more I realised that a political platform would indeed enable me to reach out to policymakers. It would also allow me to take the problems of the masses to Parliament. I can be their voice. I can help bring projects that will benefit our people. Imagine being part of the policymaking process! All these thoughts helped shape my opinion, and now that I have joined the field, let me state clearly that I have not joined politics to earn or make money. I firmly believe in the concept of developmental politics, and I have only one agenda — to make a constructive difference in the lives of people.
eNewsroom: Let’s shift the focus from politics. You have recently launched a new project titled ‘Agnita’. Tell us something about it.
Agnimitra: Agnita was launched in February this year, and I am doing it with CII-IWN (Indian Women Network (IWN), launched by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII)). The project is being funded by Tata. Under Agnita, we are training 150 underprivileged women in the Gosaba block of the Sundarbans in stitching, thereby empowering them to earn their own livelihood. The project will run for one year. Mr Prashant Sharma of Charnock Hospital gave us the first order, and now the hospital gowns and aprons are being stitched by the ‘Agnita’ women. Thus, they are learning on the job while also getting paid. It is an amazing feeling to see them smile.
eNewsroom: The final question: You must be aware of how differences in opinions and viewpoints over political issues, agendas and policies have recently led friends and relatives to indulge in personal attacks and even ‘unfriend’ one another on social media. Do you think this is healthy? What is your take on this?
Agnimitra: This is not acceptable at all. It is not right to indulge in personal attacks just because your opinion differs from mine on certain issues or agendas. We need to invest in everything that is healthy — healthy competition, healthy relationships and healthy politics. These are the need of the hour. Personal mudslinging and ‘unfriending’ one another will not help at all. This attitude needs to change. In my opinion, every single person and every political party should join hands and work as a team for the betterment of our country. Yes, there will be differences in opinion, but we need to let go of all kinds of disparities and work for the common good.
