After poll win, BJP’s fish fest to reassure voters

KOLKATA: A day after the swearing-in ceremony, BJP MLAs Agnimitra Paul, Dilip Ghosh and Tapas Roy on Sunday sought to debunk the party's alleged aversion to non-veg food by holding a ‘fish festival' in several parts of the city, in which BJP workers took part in large numbers. The netas and workers savoured pieces of delicious bekti dipped in juicy gravy along with generous helpings of rice, making it a typical Sunday ‘machh-bhat' lunch. The menu also included other varieties of fish like rohu and katla, other than daal with fish head, fish finger, paneer pakoda, sweets and curd.

Questions had been raised as to whether people in Bengal would be able to eat fish if the BJP came to office. BJP MLA candidates countered this claim by saying that Bengal's identity would not be hampered. On Sunday, in the Jorasanko constituency, where Vijay Ojha won by a margin of 5,797 votes, a fish festival was held at Balai Singha Lane near Amherst Street police station. Ojha, the elected MLA from the Jorasanko Assembly constituency, was seen serving fish to guests. Dilip Ghosh, the MLA from Kharagpur, also had lunch with fish and rice along with other party workers. Reacting to this, Ghosh said, "The BJP will be feeding Bengalis fish from Bengal, not Andhra." He accused the Trinamool govt of failing to make Bengal self-sufficient in fish over the past 15 years. "Mamata Banerjee has been trying to mislead people by telling lies for a long time. We will not respond to those lies with words, but with actions. That's why, after coming to office, BJP workers are first serving fish and rice to the people."

Multiple tables and chairs were set up, and many local residents were seen eating ‘maach-bhaat' till late afternoon. One BJP worker said, "Most of the people in this area are non-vegetarian, while several are vegetarian as well. We invited everyone who wanted to participate, and the response has been pretty good."

Tapas Ray, BJP MLA from Maniktala, who was also present at the programme, said, "Mamata had deprived Bengalis of fish and rice. Trinamool extortionists were the ones who had fish. Now, BJP will ensure that fish reaches everyone's plate. Bengalis can eat fish and eggs, whatever they want." Agnimitra Paul, who also took oath on Saturday, said, "How will Bengalis live without fish? Just as fish cannot live without water, we too are Bengalis. Give us anything, even chicken-mutton, but without fish curry and rice, we won't be able to survive."

Experts said fish may play a major role in identity politics, with BJP trying to shift away from its past narrative of controlling people's food habits in states where it rules.