Mamata Banerjee tweets in Hindi, speaks of Singur as a big win for farmers

KOLKATA: Two years have passed since the Supreme Court made a landmark judgment on return of acquired land in Singur. The anti-land acquisition movement shot Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee to political fame and power in West Bengal. It appears that the West Bengal chief minister is now looking to leverage her Singur movement to fan national ambitions. Tweets in Hindi and dedicating her anti-land acquisition movement victory as a “victory of the farmers of India” were two clear steps she has taken to prove her “pro-farmer” image.

According to sources in Trinamool Congress rank and file, Banerjee also mulls to organise a national farmers rally where she would address the farmers, raise the issues of farm distress under the Modi government and highlight the schemes she has implemented in Bengal for the farmers. The venue is yet to be decided though, but Didi is certainly looking for a national exposure. “Didi is champion of farmer’s cause. She is the hero of the Singur and Nandigram anti land acquisition movement. In fact, she is the only politician who spoke about the adverse effects of demonetisation on farmers. She now wants to appeal to the farmers of the country and address them,” said a senior leader of the party.

“On August 31, 2016, the SC, in a historic judgment declared that the land acquisition made by erstwhile Left Government in Singur was illegal. On the second anniversary of the historic judgment, (I extend) my best wishes to all the farmers of the country. We are always committed to their struggle and cause,” tweeted Banerjee on Friday.



Banerjee’s rare tweets in Hindi addressing the farmers of the country clearly points out that the leader now wants to appeal to the farmers nationwide, specially farmers of the Hindi heartland. She spoke for the farmers in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh earlier. Her party leaders claimed that "Didi" had been planning a farmer’s meeting for long since Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a farmers’ rally in Midnapore. In addition the TMC chief is also trying to appeal to the Hindi speaking people in Bengal. The sources further added that Banerjee is likely to address a mass meeting with "Hindi-speaking people" at Netaji Indoor stadium on September 7. With her efforts, it appears that she is trying to make dent on BJP's non-Bengali Hindu support base which is a primary reason for saffron surge in the state.

Besides, she, time and again raised the farmer issues. On the floor of the state legislative assembly too, the chief minister mentioned that there had been no farmer suicide in the state and no reason for farm distress. Before the meeting of NITI Ayog sub group of chief ministers in July, Banerjee in a letter suggested that all farmers including landless ones and labourers be covered under Kisan credit cards and average loans given to credit card holders should start from Rs 2 lakh. She also suggested that the ways to implement loan-waiver schemes for farmers should be discussed in the meeting.