The Trinamool Congress's women's wing took out a rally on Tuesday afternoon from the Academy of Fine Arts in Kolkata, calling to "protect the constitution." The rally featured massive cutouts of the Constitution of India's cover, and individual party members wielded handheld covers with which they marched.
Thespian and former Trinamool MP Arpita Ghosh told Ei Samay, "The Constitution of India is under grave danger. Our leader, Mamata Banerjee, is fighting tooth-and-nail against this conspiracy to demolish our constitution."
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Highlighting Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in parliament yesterday, Ghosh said, "The manner in which the Prime Minister addressed our eminent personalities in parliament yesterday, without knowing them or their cultural significance, is disrespectful. If someone doesn't have sound ideas about notable figures, we think that they should refrain from commenting rather than saying anything insolent."
The demonstrators from Trinamool Mahila Congress also held placards saying, "Bankim'da? How low will you go?" in a direct response to the Prime Minister and union minister Gajendra Singh Sekhawat's comment in the Lok Sabha, where they addressed playwright and author Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as "Bankim'da." Senior Trinamool Congress parliamentarian Sougata Roy instantly clapped back at the Prime Minister, for which PM Modi apologised and addressed Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as "Bankim'babu."
West Bengal minister and Trinamool Mahila Congress chief Chandrima Bhattacharya said in the rally, "Rishi Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose belong to Bengal, and they (BJP) are trying to take away Bengal's dues. They might disrespect Subhas Chandra Bose someday."
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She added, "Don't attack the constitution in this way. We have to protect our constitutional values." Bhattacharya further said, "They started highlighting 'Vande Mataram' after Mamata Banerjee's cabinet decided to form a committee to celebrate the national song."
The march concluded near the metro channel in Esplanade. The Trinamool workers held fire-lit torches to mark their protest.
