Mamata Banerjee: A Great Leader of India

Dr. Keshab Chandra Mandal

E-Mail: mandalkeshab2013@gmail.com

While Mamata Banerjee was campaigning before the Assembly elections in West Bengal in 2011, Sagarika Ghosh, deputy editor of CNN-IBN, observed her movements very closely; her way of living; style of campaigning and the issues she dealt with. What she observed and felt about the then railway minister and chief campaigner of the Trinamool Congress Party, she wrote in The Telegraph (published on 5^th May, 2011), which is being reproduced here. She wrote that, “For Mamata, the personal is political. In my years of travelling with politicians, I’ve discovered the one quality that separates a natural politician from an artificial one. And that one quality is a complete absence of a sense of privacy. Fussy city-bred types shut their doors and retreat into paranoid self-involved spaces. For the natural politician, the private and the public merge completely. Lalu Prasad used to keep his bedroom and bathroom doors always open. Mamata eats, sleeps, works, lives, falls ill among people. She rarely closes any doors. She’s won a big victory but her family members say she likes the small things. When asked by the correspondent to Mamata Banerjee’s sister in law (Lata Boudi) whether she would leave the present house, Lata Boudi quipped that, “move to a bungalow? Proshnoyee othey naa (question does not arise). She’d never live in a big house, or drive a big car.” Bigness seems to offend her lively sense of aesthetics. Her personal bag is a chic little pouch made of blue denim. She has a tiny Ma Kali (Goddess) in her car. Green and orange paper buntings decorate her bonnet designed to match with her tiny hedge of bamboo and rubber plants. She asked all the Bengalees to light a small lamp outside their homes after the election victory to signal the end of violence. To fight a big fight, solace must perhaps come from the little things; from the little pretty things that remind of a little girl’s imagined universe, away from the harsh realities of fighting in the anti-communist atmosphere.

She is India’s Lech Walesa, a home grown anti-Communist here, yet ironically her self-image is that of a Leftist. A true Leftist, she says, like the once dedicated activists intellectuals of yore who sacrificed personal comforts to serve. Nationalist Pritilata Waddedar and communist leader Kalpana Joshi are some of her heroines. She may not have the conventional attributes of a bhadramahila. Her father was too poor to send her abroad for a prized western degree. Instead, Mamata Banerjee to me represents the rise of a homegrown Bengali ebullience, the happy-go-lucky democratic spirit of the street side adda with their mastaans and mashimas. Bengal’s democratic revolution has arrived with a bang and it’s arrived after years of bloody struggle. But away from the images of Mamata the ferocious warrior politician, my Mamata will always be about folksy feminine Bengali; about tiny Ma Kalis; about neat denim bags and stories about sheyaals who shout hukka hua at night; and about Tagore’s poem about Bhunag Rajar Rani, the valiant queen of Ketoon who dressed as a man to outwit her enemy.” 

A Famous Quiz Master Speaks on Mamata Banerjee

Another great personality, once a famous face in television as a quiz master and later seen in Graffiti of every Sunday Telegraph, Derek O’Brien, who happens to be the Trinamool Congress vice president also wrote in The Telegraph (on 21.05.2011) that, “My Mamata is the struggle to set up a new party. My Mamata is the ability to believe in yourself when you are down to one MP in 2004. My Mamata has to conduct three meetings in one ward before municipal elections in 2005. My Mamata is not giving up when you are one MLA short of being the Opposition in 2006. My Mamata is the series of struggles in the 1980s and 90s. My Mamata is the struggle for the right of the people of Singur and standing tall even when everyone doubted her. My Mamata is the struggle for existence – an apt title for the books she wrote. My Mamata is the little things that mean a lot, like getting a message on my 50th birthday because she knew that turning 50 was special. She is strong on her gut feeling and has a god-gifted ability to identify an idea or person. My Mamata is not a 100 meter dash but the grueling marathon.”

The Mamata I know is very different from the Mamata I encountered from after as a person working on Park Street in 1990s. The Mamata I saw was more about gimmick than about political decisions, at least to me. But there has been a change in her since 2006. Especially now; she has so much maturity, I was moved by the way that she had nurtured her party. And what she did after the clean sweep on May 13 was absolutely remarkable. No victory matches, Rabindrasangeet in every para. I have never seen something like this since my birth and I have only seen the Reds since then. And every person respected her wishes. That kind of feat is only possible for a real leader. Working for the railways I have seen she is a very good administrator. That is exactly what we need right now. She is extremely sensitive about and emotionally attached to West Bengal and I believe that she will change the face of Bengal. Mamata Banerjee to me is also the person who keeps note of every small detail; if I SMS asking her whether it’s possible to call, she calls back at midnight if she does not get time during the day with a simple “aami tokhon phone kortey parini, bolo. She always remembers you even if you are not in constant touch with her. My fondest memory of her is my first visit to Rail Bhavan for a meeting. It was Rakhi Purnima and she had tied rakhi on everyone including the bearers and peons, singling them out by name and giving them mishti. She never says “give us tea”, she always says “Could you please give us some tea?” Can there be a more humble person?

In the Eyes of an Artist

A nationally famous and leading artist Jogen Chowdhury says that, “I met Mamata Banerjee for the first time in 2009 at the annual gathering in an artist friend’s residence. Hundreds of people from all walks of life – artists, writers, musicians, politicians and socialites were already there and the mood of Mamata was happy, as usual in a white sari, was sitting in one corner with a couple of people. Seeing me, she got up with folded hands and said she had a lot of respect for me. I was surprised by her gentle gesture. Though she is young, I too had great respect for all the extraordinary qualities she possessed as a compassionate human being and as a fire brand young politician of Bengal, who fought tirelessly against the atrocities of CPM rule.

She looked quite frail. She was very cordial as if we belonged to one family. I asked her how she had lost weight. She said she walked on the treadmill for at least half an hour every day to keep herself fit. Then I asked her the most vital question that had occupied my mind for some time. In case she came to power, how would she motivate the staff of Writers’ Buildings and in the hospitals, since most of them are CPM supporters, who have lost the willingness to work in the past 30 years of Left Front rule? This question seemed to galvanize her all of a sudden, and she sat up straight and alert. She said, I know exactly how to control such elements and such situations. One needs to be cordial with them as if they were part of a family. Not everyone is wrong. We shall have to work as one family. Love and affection are most important for working together. I felt Mamata was right, and today, when she says, “Badla noy, Badal chai” (Not revenge, but change) her ideology becomes clear. She is all for change for the better, and does not want to be a revengeful. He continued….. Only Mamata’s determination and tireless and continuous struggle along with her supporters have made possible her historic victory. She has made possible the impossible. At this critical juncture, Bengal is fortunate to have a leader of her vision and dynamism at the helm of affairs. As an extraordinary leader of the people, I am sure she is the harbinger of the transformation of Bengal.”

In the Eyes of a Physician

Kakali Ghosh Dastidar, a famous physician of Bengal, states that “Mamata Banerjee to me is, in one word, “GOD”. She is honest, simple and straightforward. She is one of the most diligent people I have seen and she is at the end of everything the nicest human being. I first met her at a procession in 1976, I was in Class IX and she was in college and actively with Chhatra Parishad. Since then we have always been in touch. I got married and went abroad for my studies. When I came back I joined politics again and stood against Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee from the Congress. When Mamata Banerjee formed the Trinamool Congress I was there. It is her zeal and doggedness in protesting against injustice that for me is their biggest draw. And her indomitable spirit is the most attractive quality. We go back 35 years so we have shared lots of special moments, both political and non-political. If she doesn’t like the way I’m wearing a sari, she’ll make sure it’s worn correctly. She’d fix my hair herself when it wasn’t done properly. Who else in her position would take the time to pay such individual attention?” And this relentless fighter never considers herself a woman; she thinks of herself as a human being. But every woman is happy about her success today.”

A Singer Reminisces about Great Qualities of Mamata Banerjee

Soumitra Ray, a vocalist and percussionist of the band Bhoomi, says about Mamata Banerjee that, “I’ve known Mamatadi from ways back in 1979. My mother (Manjula Ray) was the president of PCCI of Mahila Congress. Indira Gandhi had asked her to look after the women’s cell and so she had handpicked members for the core committee. Mamatadi was one of the fresh faces in the team. She was very young, just out of college, if I remember correctly, but the most determined member. They used to have frequent meetings at our Broad Street home and her duty was to take down the minutes of the meetings. Come rain or shine, she was usually the first one to land up and the last one to leave. She would willingly go into the kitchen and offer to make tea for everyone. Most simply dressed, she would take either the 43A or 33 double-decker bus to Kalighat after the meetings. If I was at home, I would go out for a smoke and walk her to the bus stand and stop for a small adda at Birenda’s tea shop. She would do small things that touched your heart. She must have heard us discuss that my mother and me were fond of lau chingri and suddenly one day she arrived with a bowl of lau chingri. She was quite naughty and would hide the packet of his biscuits served with the tea in one of the worker’s bags and when everyone would look for them she would point and laugh, “Ei dekho Shipradi shob niye boshey achey (See, Shipradi has taken them all). The others would call her the “michkey shoytan (the prankster)”. I was in my first year of college then and had a band called Joint Family. She would see me leaving every evening and say, “Roj kothay jao boloto ei shob guitar niye. Amakey dekhtey hobey.”

This carried on till around 1984 when Ma told me about this meeting at Hazra, where she had given Mamatadi the mike to speak and she pulled in a crowd. The same year at a meeting in Malda, she was asked to speak with Ghani Khan Chowdhury on the dais. Once again her speech turned out to be a great crowd-puller. And Chowdhury asked my mother to give the “young girl” more liberty to speak in public meetings because she had so much fire, making people stop and listen. It made my mother proud that “one of her girls” had been praised by the Congress stalwart.

I lost touch with her till two years ago when I got a call from Derek O’ Brien to tell me that Didi was enquiring about me. So I went over to her Kalighat home and what a meeting that was! She put her feet up on the chair, ordered muri and beguni and we dived back in time. Derek told me he had not seen her so happy and relaxed in a long time. After that we’ve kept in touch. She never fails to reply to my SMS-es. She still talks about the fish fries and cutlet that my mother would get for the meetings. The day my mother passed away last October, she got to know from somewhere and arrived within 10 minutes and stayed on till the last rites were performed. Who would do this in the middle of the night?

For Kali Puja, two weeks after Ma died, she called me and said, “Khokon, aaj amar bari esho,” knowing that I used to light diyas every year with my mother. She didn’t say much but spending Kali Puja with her filled my void. Another time I had messaged her about Ma and her pitheys and she promptly replied, “Aami pathabo tomake” and 10 days after Sankranti, she sent pitheys to me. She has taken my mother’s place and I had told myself that whatever happens, whether she won or lost, I had to be by her side. She took me with her on many of her campaigns around North and South 24 Parganas and on the day of the verdict I got calls from party workers that Didi was looking for me. She wanted me by her side. I felt so elated. I reached at 7pm. And she made me sit next to her for three hours. Then she gave me a car to go back home with tray loads of sweets for my family and chocolates for my son. She also gave me a bonsai bamboo plant in a glass bowl to place before my mother’s photograph and said “Eta Manjuladir chobir shamney amar naam korey rekhe diyo.” Just 10 minutes ago, I got a call from Derek asking for my address because Mamatadi wants to invite me over for the swearing in ceremony. Who am I? Just an ordinary musician with a band but it’s her sincerity and heartwarming nature that she is able to love and respect everyone. I’m thrilled to bits that it’s the same young girl with that spark who will be our chief minister. I pray for her the way I pray for my family.”

Professor Partha Ghosh Praises for Chief Minister

The potentiality of West Bengal is gradually being increased and brightened. Attending in a  seminar (2nd August, 2013) organized jointly by Bengal National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Enterprise Development Institute and The Boston Pledge, USA, Professor Partha Ghosh, a renowned management strategist and Chairman, Boston Pledge, USA, said that, “West Bengal has tremendous potential and can become the centre of economic development. Huge resources of land, agricultural prospects, raw materials and availability of laborers in the state must be exploited if we want to see the state in a better position. The government and private organizations should come forward to train locals and provide them with tools and machinery to promote self-help groups at the village level. He further assured to assist the government, and said that we have to take our products to the global market to bring more investments from abroad.

Pakistani High Commissioner to India Praises Mamata Banerjee

After a meeting with Mamata Banerjee in December 2013, the outgoing Pakistani High Commissioner to India Salman Bashir heaped lavish praise on West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for "transforming" the lives of ordinary people. He said, "I must compliment the leadership here, particularly the chief minister, for the wonderful work in transforming the lives of ordinary people. We have followed the story of Bengal and we appreciate and applaud the great progress the state has made." Applauding the state leadership, Mr Bashir acknowledged Mamata Banerjee’s commitment towards enhancing India's ties with Pakistan. He further praised the chief minister by saying that, "I am touched and impressed by her commitment for working towards greater interaction and better relations between India and Pakistan." Inviting the chief minister to visit Pakistan he added that, "Pakistan and Bengal have a lot of shared history, culture affinities that make us so closely bonded. We have similar challenges and opportunities and can learn from our mutual experiences." 

Mamata Banerjee Gets Narendra Modi's Fulsome Praise

After cordial meetings with the Tamil Nadu, Odisha and Telangana chief ministers, Narendra Modi said in his reply in Parliament on President’s speech that the best practices of different states in development schemes may be emulated by the centre. He even praised West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee - his bitter critic - during his speech. He uttered that, “In West Bengal Mamata didi is trying to revive the state from the 35-year long misrule.”Harping on “cooperative federalism” to drive home his agenda of cooperation between the states and the centre, the prime minister also “welcomed” the Opposition’s concern over the deadline of the schemes like home for all or jobs..

Shah Rukh Khan Praises for Mamata Banerjee

Shah Rukh Khan, the great Bollywood superstar, is a close follower of Mamata Banerjee. Getting impressed with the leadership qualities of West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee, Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan says that, "It is highly commendable the way she leads. I a big fan of hers….She is a firebrand leader, she takes a lot of initiative in doing things. That is her leadership style. In our country for a lady it is doubly difficult to be so outgoing." Pointing out to the investment scenario in the state, he said that there are many positive things about West Bengal, but it took time put things together. "At certain times it takes time to put things together. Bengal has a certain brand value which should rise to new levels which we will all be proud of," he added.

Rani Mukherjee and Sushmita Sen Praise for Mamata Banerjee

Bollywood actresses Rani Mukherjee and Sushmita Sen, who were felicitated by the West Bengal government in November, 2013, expressed openly that they were a fan of chief minister Mamata Banerjee. After being felicitated as one of the “Panch Kanyas’ of Bengal actress and former Miss Universe Sushmita Sen said, "Thank you Mamata di. We are a huge admirer of the human courage and the conviction that you have. It is very special to say I am from Bengal and from your state."  Stating that Mamata Banerjee had transformed Kolkata and West Bengal, actress Rani Mukherjee said, "As a Bengali, I am very proud that she is running Bengal and she is an inspiration to a lot of women. Please keep inspiring us like this." "We have seen lot of change for the better. This time I got to see shining Kolkata while coming from the airport," she said.

WB Governor Praises for Mamata Banerjee

Former West Bengal governor M. K. Narayanan praised Mamata Banerjee government for launching the administrative calendar in 2014, first ever by a state government. He said that, “I may be accused of exaggerated praise of the state government. I have never been so enthusiastic about any program as I am with this one. The calendar needs to be uploaded on internet and citizens should have the chance to monitor the progress of the project.” The 250-page administrative calendar listed up for all the 61 departments’ projects to be completed every month. Some departments like child & women development and social welfare, judicial and labour have provided date-wise targets for project completion. “It was a difficult task for the departments to come up with such detailed program within a short notice,“ chief minister Mamata Banerjee said. According to her, discipline is needed in the administration to bring in good governance. 

The chief minister disclosed her future plan in this regard. She has set month-wise targets. Mamata Banerjee plans to take the practice down to the lowest rung of the administration. District magistrates and block development officers would also be asked to prepare district-wise calendars for individual departments. It is planned that a similar model will be replicated at district and block levels. If that was successful it might be followed for the gram panchayats too.” The then chief secretary Sanjay Mitra said that the calendar was planned for bringing in more efficiency in the state administration and it will also help to give reply to RTI queries as well. Sanjay Mitra hoped that the calendar will be infusing transparency and credibility to the administration. 

The President of India Praises Mamata Banerjee

The former President Pranab Mukherjee lavishly praised the chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her good works in health and education sectors. In a program attended by both the chief minister and the President, the latter said that, “She is doing a lot of work, in education, in health. I have been a part of the state politics for 50 years. After becoming President, I have come to the state so many times... From my personal experience I can say her government is working competently. I bless her as an elder. She is much younger to me.” Then, turning to Mamata Banerjee, who was present on the dias, he said: “You go ahead, God will help you.” The president while inaugurating the Indian Institute of Liver and Digestive Sciences, Eastern India’s first full-fledged healthcare institute dedicated to liver diseases in Kolkata, also commended Mamata Banerjee for taking immediate action after she received complaints that medical treatment was being “sold at an exorbitant cost.”

Mahasweta Devi Wished Mamata Banerjee to be the PM

Eminent litterateur Mahasweta Devi has praised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee for her contribution in uplifting the weaker sections, saying she wants to see her as the country's Prime Minister. The writer activist said that, "I impose complete faith and confidence in her. I wish to see her as the Prime Minister of India." She described Mamata Banerjee as a humanist, fighter and pro-people leader who has dedicated her life for the uplift of weaker sections of society, including minorities and Tribals. Like Mahasweta Devi, a renowned writer who has been tryst with many honors including Magsaysay, Jnanpith and Padma Vibhushan, millions of Indians also want to see Mamata Banerjee in the chair of Prime Minister of India. 

Anna Hazare and Shahi Imam of Delhi’s Jama Masjid Praise for Chief Minister

By observing her simple life-style and clean image, the great social activist Anna Hazare also has put his weight behind her. Prior to 16^th Lok Sabha election, in a meeting held at Delhi the septuagenarian anti-corruption crusader said that, "Today I believe there can be change in the country. People also want change. That time is coming,"10 (Source: Zee News, Tuesday, February 25, 2014.). Further, Shahi Imam of Delhi's Jama Masjid Syed Ahmed Bukhari also lauded the works of Mamata Banerjee. He said, "After going through the details of the developmental work that she has done for the development of minorities and Muslims in the state, I personally feel India needs a secular leader like her who believes in work and not lip service….Given her secular credentials, I personally feel that Mamata Banerjee would make a better Prime Minister than others who are in the prime ministerial race in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls."