Bengal

We know this land and feel the heartbeats of its people, culture of Bengal belongs to Khudiram and not Nathuram: Md Salim

CPIM’s politburo member claimed that in the upcoming Bengal assembly polls the fight is not between BJP and TMC alone, as its being projected by the media. And that the 2021 polls will yield a different result

Kolkata: Politburo member and former Member of Parliament Md Salim claimed that the Left has played its role in ’20-20′ last year and when the result for 2021 Bengal assembly polls will be out, then it will be completely different from what the media has been projecting.

“Since 2019, we have been working to better our position in Bengal. For one year, BJP-TMC had locked them up, while we and our student wing have been working at the ground level since the lockdown was announced.”

“We have worked during lockdown and amphan. Our youth, students and Leftists have reached out to those in distraught. We went to people in villages, in cities, at every mohalla, whether it was to distribute mask, sanitizer or ration during the lockdown and amphan,” said Md Salim while answering one of the questions posed by eNewsroom’s on how Left parties and specially CPM is working to better their voting percentage in comparison to the 2019 Lok Sabha polls?

“Soon after 2019, people had calculated 2021, but there is 2020 in between, which people had forgotten. The media had removed 2020 from the calendar,” he said.

Accusing the ruling party of getting into a clandestine agreement with Amit Shah, he stated, “Just to make sure that Rajiv Kumar did not go to jail, TMC struck a deal with Amit Shah of 20 seats (2019 Lok Sabha). Those days are gone.” He paused and said, “In Bengali, there is an adage – bishey bishey bishok hoye (poison cuts poison).”

Salim claimed, “We know Bengal and the heartbeats of its people. The culture here is not that of RSS. Bengal belongs to Khudiram, it can’t be of Nathuram.”

Earlier, speaking at a seminar—Minorities of Bengal at Crossroads, Salim spoke at length on the issue.

Stressing on the fact the world of 2019 (Pre-corona) and 2021 (post-corona) is not the same,he mentioned that today the even the Prime Minister with having the 56’ inch chest could not claim that he can control entire country.

सुनिए ईन्यूज़रूम के सवाल और मोहम्मद सलीम के जवाब:

 

Commenting on the recent WhatsApp leak of Arnab Goswami, he said, “You can see for yourself how media before running any news talks to the government and get guided from there.”

While answering the question concerning a recent comment of CPIML general secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya, where he had asked the Left parties to consider BJP as the main enemy and not TMC.

“Dipankar himself clarified that media has twisted his statement,” said Salim and added, “We are working on a Mahagathbandhan which includes all the left parties, democratic parties, NCP, RJD, Sharad Yadav’s JDU (Secular). All the schedule caste, schedule tribe and minorities parties and those parties who do not want to be with RSS-BJP or TMC. With all them together, we we are making a rock solid coalition.”

He added, “Leaving aside, RSS affiliated organizations, we will fight together. RSS has two affiliated organizations —one named BJP and other is TMC.

Talking about coalitions he mentioned how BJP now has only Apna Dalas its ally. “When TMC came to power it has the support of 22 parties. Today, they are alone, even their own people are leaving them. On the contrary we have grown. When we were in power, we had 9 parties, now we have 16 parties with us.

While saying, TMC is melting away like ice-cream in this winter and will vanish in summer, he added, “Whatever you are seeing, every week (like tele-serials), in installments, they (BJP) are taking away TMC people, soon they will have all Trinamool people.”

Earlier, speaking at the seminar—Minorities of Bengal at Crossroads, organized by Justice K.M. Yusuf Memorial Trust, Salim expressed happiness about Muslims being at the crossroad, for it means there are many roads open for the minorities.

“For me it is a matter of happiness. As being at a crossroad, means that there are several roads open for the minorities. Earlier, the situations were created in such a way that the minorities had to blindly follow a path. Now, you have a democratic choice to choose.”

Speaking on the plan of Assaduddin Owaisi’s party, AIMIM fighting Bengal assembly polls, Salim declared, “Any political party can fight from anywhere. And we should not put it into insider and outsider frame. ”

“Do not get trapped into RSS’s narrative. BJP-RSS is putting you inside gethoes, you do not have to get gethoised. They have the narrative of Hindu-Hindi-Hindustan, which means only one religion, one culture can be in India and rest are outsiders. That is what culture nationalism is all about. But we believe in composite culture for India, when our Constitution was framed in 1950, it was not made on the basis of our culture but on the need for justice and equality.”

He pointed out, “Netaji (Subhash Chandra Bose) knows this, so he said to make a slogan which does not have a religious touch then Jai Hind came into existence.”

The seminar which brainstormed one of the most relevant issues of Bengal election, participated by several prominent names of Bengal and outside including Ex- Minister Dr Abdus Sattar, senior journalist MW Haque, academician Dr Sk Abdul Matin, agricultural scientist Dr MA Hassan, social activist Uzma Naheed and social-medical activist Dr Fuad Halim.

The veteran politician summed up his speech at the seminar by saying: “Do not see the different posters and banners to decide, whom to vote, but look at your children and think, who will provide then employment and how the women of your family will be secure?”

Shahnawaz Akhtar

is Founder of eNewsroom. He loves doing human interest, political and environment related stories.

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