Former West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee did not observe the traditional Bhai Phonta festivities at her Harish Chatterjee Street residence this year. The gathering, which for years served as a significant event in the state's political calendar where party leaders visited to receive a ceremonial tika, was absent this season.
Trinamool Congress (TMC) spokesperson Kunal Ghosh stated that Ms. Banerjee decided against celebrating the festival in protest against alleged violence, police harassment, and the arrests of party workers following the recent change in government in West Bengal. According to Mr. Ghosh, the former Chief Minister also skipped the traditional Bijoya Sammelan. While she performed a family Kali Puja, she did not conduct any official Bhai Phonta ceremony.
The event took place against the backdrop of changing political loyalties. Ms. Banerjee's brother, Swapan Banerjee, who had previously remarked that he would not visit his sister for the festival even if invited, joined a celebration organized by the Democratic Trinamool Congress (DTP), a rebel faction. On Tuesday, Swapan Banerjee was observed meeting current Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari at a Kali Puja event in Kalighat, where he praised the Chief Minister.
Most of Ms. Banerjee’s former loyalists were notably absent from her residence. However, TMC MP Kalyan Banerjee visited her home and criticized those he termed "opportunists" who only attended the festival while she held power. Meanwhile, at the Trinamool Bhavan, Democratic-TMC leaders, including former minister Chandrima Bhattacharya, Ritabrata Banerjee, Madan Mitra, and Javed Khan, participated in a separate Bhai Phonta event.
Key facts
- Mamata Banerjee did not host her traditional Bhai Phonta or Bijoya Sammelan ceremonies this year.
- TMC spokesperson Kunal Ghosh cited alleged attacks on party workers and police brutality as reasons for the decision.
- Swapan Banerjee, the former CM's brother, attended a Bhai Phonta event hosted by the rival Democratic-TMC faction.
- Current West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari met Swapan Banerjee during a Kali Puja event on Tuesday.
- Aroop Biswas, who previously hosted a separate Bhai Phonta program, postponed his event this year.
Why it matters
The absence of the traditional gathering reflects the shifting political landscape in West Bengal following the change in state government. The event, once a fixture for party unity, has been replaced by separate, competing celebrations held by the TMC and the rebel Democratic-TMC faction, highlighting deepening internal divisions.
Background
The Bhai Phonta festival, celebrated similarly to Bhai Dooj, involves sisters applying a tilak on their brothers' foreheads as a gesture of love and prayer for their well-being.
Source: Indian Express, The Hindu
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