Trinamool gains political dividends of festival ‘fasting’, ‘feasting’ in West Bengal

Feasting, and to an extent fasting, are important in West Bengal’s cultural fabric. But, of late, it seems it is beneficial in state politics as well.

While the ruling party of All India Trinamool Congress has been ‘fasting’ in terms of its coffers—it has provided a feast of sorts when it announced Rs 60,000 support to each Durga Puja organising club across the state this year.

The famous festival is a sight to behold in Kolkata—perhaps which is why it was added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. To celebrate this achievement, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced extended Durga Puja celebrations, when it was officially ushered in on September 1. Banerjee even led a procession to express gratitude about inclusion of the festival on UNESCO’s list.

Referring to a study, she had reminded that business to the tune of Rs 40,000 crore is generated during Durga Puja.

The celebrations concluded with a mega carnival on October 8, where Banerjee not only remained for the full duration of the carnival, she even joined the merrymakers and participants as they stopped by the dais to perform.

During Ramadan—this year falling in April—too the state government was understanding of the local businesses that thrive in festive periods. Reportedly festival seasons provided boosts to the local businesses with transactions worth crores of rupees.

Festivals celebrated with equal fervour, which is embedded in Bengal’s culture, offers a round-the-year opportunity to businesses, here. All sectors—food, apparel, footwear, tourism and travel, artists and craftsmen, electricians, street vendors, artisans—and different income-groups are benefited from any cultural event.

Similarly, the upcoming week around Christmas, would also have thousands of people out on the streets in Kolkata, spending on consumer goods and food, albeit on a smaller count.

Yet, there have been questions, and scepticism regarding the expenditure, especially the Rs 60,000 support to each puja organiser. Given that all 40,092 registered organisers receive the support, the monetary assistance by the state stands over Rs 240 crore.

For a state that’s tackling its worsening finances, the wisdom of spending such an amount is open to debate. Yet, the celebrations facilitated by the party in power limits the scope of any Opposition’s political criticism.

Although Trinamool’s strongest political opponent has been blaming it for appeasing the state’s largest minority community, Banerjee’s annual visit to Red Road to greet people on the morning of Eid-ul-Fitr was, at best, her way of reaching out to people on a ‘good day’, and “projected image” at worst.

But not something that can be called controversial.

Her enthusiasm while participating in any cultural event—be it in inauguration of pandals or her attending functions of other religious minorities—overshadows even the worst of criticism.

Majority of people in West Bengal are as strongly woven within the state’s cultural fabric as they are in their faith. That’s one reason why divisive political tactics have yielded little returns for Trinamool’s opponents.