The Trinamool Congress on Thursday made it clear that chief minister Mamata Banerjee has decided to skip Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Friday unveiling of infrastructure projects worth over ₹5,200 crore — including three Metro services in Calcutta — largely in protest against the saffron regime’s alleged Bengali-phobia.
Trinamool sources said there were fears that Mamata could be humiliated by the BJP at the central event, which has happened twice in recent memory. But they added it did not deter Mamata then. This time, “linguistic apartheid” against Indian Bengalis was the main reason, in addition to the Centre’s four-year “vindictive economic blockade”.
Some other factors, they said, were inadequate recognition of her contribution to the Metro cause from her time as the railway minister of UPA II and the special intensive revision (SIR) of the electoral roll.
“The economic blockade has been wreaking havoc on Bengal for years, and now this anti-Bengal, anti-Bengali, anti-Bengali language stand of the BJP. In this scenario, it is Mamata Banerjee’s priority to protect Bengal’s people and pride,” said Trinamool state vice-president Jay Prakash Majumdar.
“It will be interesting to see if the Prime Minister peppers his speech, read off the teleprompter, with Bengali words as he has done in the past. The BJP’s declared stand now is that there is nothing called the Bengali language and those who speak it are Bangladeshis,” he said.
When told that other non-NDA chief ministers — Kerala’s Pinarayi Vijayan or Tamil Nadu’s M.K. Stalin — often don’t skip central events related to their states, Trinamool leaders said the way Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw invited Mamata “with a routine letter” did not go down well with her.
“All these projects were planned and funded by her originally when she was the railway minister. After years of sluggish progress, they (the BJP) are now hurrying to have them inaugurated now to take credit before the 2026 poll,” a source said.
A Trinamool veteran in the Assembly said: “Remember what happened at Howrah station (on December 30, 2022) and Victoria Memorial (on January 23, 2021)?” He was referring to Mamata being greeted with taunts and belligerent cries of “Jai Shri Ram” by BJP workers in the audience at the Centre’s events in Modi’s presence. On December 30, 2022, mindful that Modi (attending virtually) had lost his mother hours earlier, Mamata delivered her speech. On January 23, 2021, she refused in protest.
Bengal BJP chief Samik Bhattacharya alleged that 43 railway projects in Bengal, including the East-West Metro, were delayed because of the state’s non-cooperation and its hands-off land policy.
“The invitation to the chief minister was natural as the BJP does not believe in the politics of exclusion. It has faith in cooperative federalism. Trinamool does not. Hence, this response isn’t unexpected. (But) her attendance would have been desirable,” he said.
Bengal Congress said Mamata should have gone for the sake of democratic decency, but called the decision theatrical. “This is all an act to mislead people. They (Trinamool and BJP) are together behind the curtains....,” said Congress spokesperson Soumya Aich Roy. CPM veteran Sujan Chakraborty said Mamata should have attended the event but she did not want to make a “public appearance” with Modi.
A political observer said Mamata’s stance went against Bengal’s interests. “Mamata may not want to be seen sharing a platform with Modi because of her minority votebank. But, such as attitude does not help Bengal. She could have publicly told Modi about funds due to the state. It could have helped Bengal and hurt the BJP,” he said.
However, political scientist Subhamoy Maitra said Mamata wasn’t making any electoral mistake. The discourse over Mamata not attending this event did not matter to the vast sections of voters — those with little or nothing to do with Metro services or Calcutta — that she knew would back her, he said. “She knows those people whose lives would be improved with what’s happening tomorrow (Friday) need not be specifically attended to by her government. She isn’t losing sleep over their opinion of her. She has her priorities set. Which is why she focuses on persecuted migrant workers, social security measures such as Lakshmir Bhandar, Durga Puja doles to clubs and Amader Para, Amader Samadhan,” he said.
“Mamata has made investments in areas she deems necessary, using taxpayer money, some of which do help crores of people. They remain electorally indebted to her,” he added.