Kolkata: The folk artiste who had hosted Amit Shah for lunch at Shantiniketan on December 20 has said that he had been unable to get a word in with the Union home minister.
Pictures and videos of Basudeb Das Baul singing for Shah and other BJP leaders have been shared multiple times by Twitter handles of the BJP and said leaders.
Bauls are the perfect reflection of our rich and versatile Bengali culture, best known for their songs and poems to God who dwells within.
Thank you Basudeb Das ji for your incredible hospitality, I am truly mesmerised. pic.twitter.com/ofc6gLZPgG
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) December 20, 2020
However, on Tuesday evening Das visited Trinamool Congress’s local heavyweight Anubrata Mondal will the claim that he could not speak to Shah. Mondal is Birbhum district chief of TMC and is scheduled to lead a rally in retaliation of Shah’s roadshow in the town on December 20.
“I had a few things to tell to Amit Shah ji, who is such a big person. I wished to tell him about the financial difficulties I am facing to fund my daughter’s higher education. She has recently passed her MA. I thought he will talk to me once, but he didn’t give me a chance,” said Das, adding that he was happy to host the lunch.
Das told reporters present there that a few days before Shah’s visit to Shantiniketan and the town of Bolpur which surrounds it, few local BJP workers had requested him to host the lunch. “I didn’t receive any assistance from BJP in arranging for that day’s lunch. I did all the shopping. They only bought the sweets served that day,” he said.
Mondal has been quick to swoop in and has promised that the TMC’s education cell will ensure that Das’s daughter gets admission into a BEd course. “The state will take care of all funding,” Mondal has said.
TMC has labelled Shah’s visit “nothing but drama.”
Das, meanwhile, said that he has been regularly getting rice and wheat under the state government’s free ration distribution scheme for the poor during the lockdown period.
Das will accompany Mondal and TMC chief Mamata Banerjee in the TMC’s show of strength in Shantiniketan on December 29. “I have received the invitation and I will definitely join Didi’s rally,” he said.
Also read: West Bengal: Amit Shah’s 2-Day Visit Whips up Frenzy of TMC Resignations and Returns
National secretary of BJP Anupam Hazra, who had overseen Shah’s lunch at Das’s house, was quick in retaliation.
He posted on Facebook, “Even after being in power for 10 years TMC didn’t realise the plight of Basudeb Baul. Their realisation happened only after Amit Shah ji had lunch at his place. This proves that BJP always takes the lead in spotting the poor people in society. If any poor family gets state government help after Amit Shah ji has lunch at their home, there will be more such lunch programmes. Also, we know after 2021 assembly polls, the same Basudeb Baul will share his experience of being lifted from his home by TMC.”
Earlier on November 5, Shah had lunch at the home of Bibhishan Hansda, a member of the tribal community at Chaturdihi village in Bankura district.
A day later, speaking at a public rally, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had alleged that the food Shah had at the tribal house was cooked by a Brahmin brought from a five-star hotel.”