By Dr Sanchari Pal
There are lots of stereotypes that run around in the market with respect to Bengalis; most of them are great social media content. It is not within the scope of this rant to debunk those stereotypes, but as a staunch Bengali, I WILL concede that the political stereotypes are mostly true.
Growing up in the heart of urban Kolkata, people around me and I had always viewed the BJP as a “Gujju-Marwadi” party: the business sympathisers who do not value an erudite appeal and are only after financial gains, sitting on their comfortable gaddis in the narrow Burrabazar lanes.
They don’t know the toils of the working class; they are unbothered by the Communist Manifesto; heck, they don’t even know who Che Guevara is!
Consequently, even after one week has passed since the 4th of May results, it feels unreal to think of the Herculean effort every single Bengali has put into the 2026 elections to bring in the party unanimously disliked in most Bengali households, but also the only flicker of light in these dark and desperate times that the state is going through.
Hailing from a typical Bengali middle-class family, I have sat through many a drawing room discussion on Siddhartha Shankar Ray and his oppression of the Naxalites, Jyoti Basu and his culturing of the CPI(M) Harmad Army, Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and Tata Motors at Nandigram, Mamata Banerjee and her syndicate raj.
Didi, the state and people of Bengal had given you so much love.
Starting from 1993, when the Jyoti Basu government dragged you out of Mahakaran (Writers’ Building) by your hair (which is potentially one of the most iconic visuals of female-led political resistance in post-independence India) till the 9th of August, 2024.
Then you committed the worst crime as a woman, on a woman. Abhaya being raped was not your fault. But you safeguarding the rapists because they’re your minions will never be forgiven.
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Your umbrella protection of those involved with the TET Exam scam has cost people their LIVES.
Your neglect of alarmingly mounting illegal Bangladeshi infiltration and then converting them to a minority vote bank has caused a mini Indian Hindu exodus from the border districts of Bengal.
Like every other stereotypical Bengali worth their salt, I am unable to openly celebrate the win of a party that has previously used divisive politics multiple times. BJP has a lot to prove.
Make no mistake: not a single person has voted for them out of the love of their hearts. We have simply voted out of desperation and a complete lack of an alternative.
Decidedly, we also needed to teach a lesson to our homegirl because, ironically, Mamata has shed all compassion and surpassed all multiple levels of arrogance.
But let there be a fair warning to the BJP government: because you’re not a government made to win out of love, if you ever try to mess with the Bangaliyana of Bengal, you are utterly prone to be kicked out of the state in the next 5 years.
You’ve gotten your first chance after 78 years of independence; know and embrace the culture, nurture the state, and you will know love like never before.
To the lady whom Bengalis once used to call ‘agnikanya’, DO BETTER, ma’am. You used to be a phenomenal woman. Only a sad silhouette of the former “netri” remains. You’re losing the elections this time was 100% necessary, but it still saddens a part of me.
Meanwhile, time to revive the following:
What Bengal thinks today, India does tomorrow.
Author Bio:
Dr. Sanchari Pal
Image Credits: Google Images
This post is tagged under: Bengali, BJP, bjp bengal, cm of west bengal, Election Results 2026, West Bengal, West Bengal bjp, west bengal cm, west bengal election, West Bengal Election Results, West Bengal Election Results 2026, modi, mamata banerjee, mamata banerjee west bengal election, mamata banerjee cm, mamata banerjee west bengal 2026 election result
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