Fish returned to the centre of the Bengal Assembly election plate on Wednesday as both the ruling Trinamool and challenger BJP upheld the dietary staple to woo the voters on Poila Biashakh, or Bengali New Year’s Day.
Senior state minister and Trinamool leader Aroop Biswas led a procession from the Garia Bramhapur area in south Kolkata centred on the theme of ‘Maach-Bhaat-e-Bangali’(Bengalis swear by fish and rice), in which he alleged that the BJP would impose curbs on fish and meat consumption if it comes to power.
Aroop Biswas’s rally featured colourful tiger and owl masks, reminiscent of traditional festivities. Women participants wore white sarees with red borders, while others donned themed t-shirts.
"In BJP-ruled states, fish is being thrown onto the streets and sellers are being harassed,” Biswas said, as reported by PTI. “No power can snatch 'maach-bhaat' from the plate of Bengalis. We have joined this protest to protect our heritage.”
Shreya Pandey, Trinamool’s candidate for the Maniktala Assembly seat, is to feature in a special Poila Boishakh campaign at Maniklata Market holding a big container full of fish.
“Bengalis live by maachh-bhaat [fish and rice]; Bengal is self-reliant when it comes to fish. The sheer falsehood of honourable Modi's claims will be exposed through the very celebrations of the Bengali New Year. Mr Modi, come and see for yourself, come and taste the fish of Bengal,” the promo material read.
Madan Mitra, the colourful MLA and Trinamool candidate from Kamarhati near Kolkata, travelled to the Dakshineswar Kali Temple with cooked fish as offering.
“Ramakrishna er jonno maachh ranna kore niye jachchhi, [I am taking fish I have cooked to offer Ramakrishna],” he told The Telegraph Online.
The Trinamool has been trying to frame the poll battle as one between the fish-eating people of Bengal and the “outsiders” of the BJP, even though Union home minister Amit Shah had emphasised while unveiling the BJP’s Sankalp Patra (manifesto) for Bengal that the party would not interfere with diet.
“Ilish maachh niye ashun, ami bechhe khaiye dichchhi [Bring a piece of hilsa, I will take out the bones and feed you],” BJP leader Smriti Irani said at a “Matri Shakti” Card distribution event in Calcutta.
Asked if the BJP would ban fish and meat if voted to power, she shot back: “The prime minister spoke about the drop in fish production in Bengal. Let us stick to real issues.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had last week carped at an election rally in Haldia that Bengal has to knock at other states’ doors for its favourite food because of the Trinamool’s corruption.
Kaustav Bagchi, the BJP candidate from Barrackpore near Kolkata, campaigned holding a fish to counter the TMC narrative, saying: "Bangali with maach-bhaate aar shathe BJP [Bengalis with fish and rice, and now also with BJP].
BJP chief spokesperson Debjit Sarkar claimed that there was no ban on consumption of fish and meat in states ruled by the party. He alleged that the TMC has presided over the decline of Bengal's fisheries.
"The TMC has encouraged illegal filling of ponds for real estate. As a result, Bengal now depends on fish imports from Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh," Sarkar said.
He added that fish and meat consumption has increased in many BJP-governed states, terming the TMC's claims "baseless propaganda" that the voters would reject.
BJP leaders also used fish while campaigning in various other parts of Bengal.
Elections to the 294-member West Bengal assembly will be held in two phases, on April 23 and April 29. Votes will be counted on May 4.
