North Bengal Was Fuming

In 2016 I traveled to Kalimpong. It was a solo trip, and I was quite happy with the facility that I got at Ramdhura, Kalimpong. To catch the train to Kolkata, I had to spend one night at Siliguri. I booked a room at a lodge near to NJP railway station. The night I spent at the lodge was the same day when polling (assembly election 2016) happened in Kolkata. Polling of assembly election happened earlier in north Bengal as it was multi-phased.

Kolkata saw polling-related violence. Everyone saw the violence on television. People in north Bengal were also discussing the incidents. The receptionist at the lodge was also discussing with the locals about the poll-related violence in Kolkata. I was undeterred with news as poll-violence is common in West Bengal.

Anyway, inside my room, the TV was not working properly. So I went to the reception to tell him about the problem. When I approached him, he told me, ‘what is the point of watching TV? People of Kolkata always fight. The people of Kolkata are not potent enough to rule West Bengal. Give us the power; we will rule the state better’. When he finished, I saw he was fuming. Later I realized, I understood that it was not his words. It was the words of the people of north Bengal.

For those who are not from West Bengal, what he said is like this- people of Kolkata, capital of West Bengal, are not able to handle to state. By saying people of Kolkata, he meant TMC, the party in power who was involved in the fight. And 'give us the power' means transferring power to the people of North Bengal from Kolkata.

Only the future can tell if TMC party workers are strong enough to keep their chairs, but his anger was evident that there is anger among North Bengal people towards south Bengal. The receptionist knew that I’m from Kolkata. So he vented out his anger. And that was completely OK! He took his chance.

When the lockdown began, people from North Bengal were also furious on social media about the availability of COVID-related treatment in north Bengal. The anger is real.

The time has come for the people from South Bengal to solve the frustrations of the people of North Bengal. And when I say people of South Bengal, I mean the ruling party in power.