E-Paper
No Rakhi gifts for Mamata please!
On Friday 20B, Harish Chatterjee Road in Kalighat will be the destination for Trinamool leaders and ordinary people alike, as Mamata Banerjee popularly known as Didi (sister) will be ready with Rakhis. But no gifts are allowed.
On Friday 20B Harish Chatterjee Road in Kalighat will be the destination for Trinamool leaders and ordinary people alike. As chief minister Mamata Banerjee popularly known as Didi (sister) will be ready with Rakhis. But no one is allowed to bring in gifts.
For Mamata Banerjee who as a chief minister is celebrating the 150th anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore, it is the bard idea of spreading brotherhood through Raksha Bandhan, which is being brought to practice once more. It will not be the chief minister’s own six brothers, their children, but also party leaders and commoners who will tie the pledge on their wrists.
“We await for this day throughout the year. Raksha Bandhan holds great significance in our lives. She never misses this day. Since our childhood this is celebrated in our family,” said Subrata Banerjee, the chief minister’s brother.
“In our house, it is not we, her six brothers, but our children and the women folk too take part in Raksha Bandhan. Interestingly, they all call her Didi (sister). A large number of party leaders too come to our home and celebrate this day, apart from ordinary people. I expect a huge gathering tomorrow as she has become the chief minister,” said Subrata.
Mamata Banerjee has six brothers, Ajit, Asim, Amit, Samir, Subrata and Swapan, all of them staying in Kolkata in adjacent houses in Kalighat.
Mamata Banerjee aides at her Kalighat residence which also double up as her party office has already made arrangements for around three hundred Rakhis on Saturday, apart from packets of sweets.
“Many of the leaders bring Rakhis with them and sweets. But we had also made arrangements,” said a aide at Kalighat.
However, Mamata Banerjee has banned gifts at her residence and no one is allowed to bring them.
“Sweets are allowed, but not gifts. When we were young she used to give us kurta pyjama on every Rakhi day. But she never accepted gifts,” said Subrata.
Security personnel for Mamata Banerjee too had made elaborate arrangements keeping in mind the large turn out at her residence on Saturday as well as at Writers’ building.
”Though she will like to celebrate the day with everyone, but there are security issues. We have made arrangements. We cannot allow everyone inside her house. Everyday hundreds of people turn up at her house” said a security officer.
