Home Minister Amit Shah arrived Kolkata early in the morning today on his two-day visit to West Bengal. Shah will be taking stock of the situation in the State ahead of the State Assembly elections due next year. He is scheduled to address a public meeting in Midnapore later today. Shah’s visit comes at a time when a string of top leaders of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITMC) have resigned from the party. Speculations are rife that the rebel TMC leaders including Suvendu Adhikari are likely to meet the Home Minister to join the BJP today.
On reaching Kolkata, the Home Minister visited the Ramakrishna Ashram to pay tribute the Swami Vivekananda.
West Bengal: Union Home Minister Amit Shah pays tribute to Swami Vivekanand at Ramakrishna Ashram in Kolkata
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
He is on a two-day visit to the state. pic.twitter.com/ESbJrFFPGQ
Shah said that Ashram is the place where Swami Vivekananda connected modernity and spirituality. He said that he hoped to walk on the path showed by him.
This the place where Vivekananda Ji was born. Vivekananda Ji connected modernity and spirituality. I pray that we are able to walk on the path he showed us: Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Kolkata https://t.co/CJVYZsSVCo pic.twitter.com/cYPpvbcR9z
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
The Home Minister then went to pay homage to revolutionary Khudiram Bose in his village in Paschim Midnapore. He also felicitated Bose’s family.
West Bengal: Union Home Minister Amit Shah pays homage to Khudiram Bose with flowers at his (Bose’s) native village in Pashchim Midnapore and meets with Bose’s family members and felicitates them with honorary garbs pic.twitter.com/DdnNGfG5VW
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Remembering Bose’s sacrifice Shah expressed gratitude for having the good fortune of visiting his village.
“It is my good fortune that I have been able to touch to my forehead, the soil of the home of the great freedom fighter Khudiram Bose. He happily went to the gallows to sacrifice himself for the Indian freedom movement,” says Union Home Minister Amit Shah https://t.co/gxuxbRtwQM pic.twitter.com/ioSVjCmDTY
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Khudiram Bose’s family was humbled by Shah’s visit to Bose’s village. Gopal Das, a member of Bose’s family said that they did not receive such respect by any previous government including the ruling TMC government.
BJP has given us some bit of reverence. No previous government has ever afforded us such regard. Not even Trinamool Congress,” says Gopal Basu, a family member of Khudiram Bose https://t.co/gxuxbRtwQM pic.twitter.com/S27RKFdIgy
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Das said that he would tell the Home Minister that no development work has been carried out in Bose’s village. He said that he would highlight the problem of unemployment.
“I’ll tell Amit Shah, Khudiram Bose’s birthplace hasn’t seen any development. We only want youth’s employment,” says family member Gopal Basu, ahead of BJP leader Amit Shah’s visit to Bose’s native village in Pashchim Midnapore, West Bengal
— ANI (@ANI) December 19, 2020
Shah to meet Khudiram’s family members pic.twitter.com/LEHdDJL2u7
Shah also visited the Siddheswari temple in Midnapore and offered prayers there.
#WestBengal: HM @AmitShah offers prayers at Siddheswari Kali Temple in #Midnapore pic.twitter.com/hmyDZY3dEU
— DD News (@DDNewslive) December 19, 2020
Shah will be visiting the house of a farmer in Midnapore today where he is expected to have lunch. Amid the ongoing protests against the farm laws, the Home Minister’s gesture of visiting a farmer’s house is possibly intended to send out a positive message to farmers across the country.
Home Minister @AmitShah to have lunch at a farmer’s house. @PoulomiMSaha shares more details. #ITVideo (@manogyaloiwal)#WestBengal #Midnapore pic.twitter.com/wT7DY4dUXx
— IndiaToday (@IndiaToday) December 19, 2020
Home Minister’s visit to West Bengal is likely to create a major political upheaval in the State ahead of the State Assembly elections. Several top TMC leaders have already got off the ship and are rumoured to join the BJP.
