Ahead of the 2022 State Legislative polls in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party (SP) has adopted the election slogan of ‘Khela Hobe‘ from the Trinamool Congress (TMC). This is despite the fact that the slogan was used by the Mamata Banerjee-run-party to mobilise its foot soldiers to unleash violence during and after the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha elections.
While the original slogan is in Bengali, SP adopted the Bhojpuri version of ‘Khela Hobe‘. As per reports, the tweaked slogan was found written on the walls in Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, adjacent to the Samajwadi party’s election symbol of the cycle. “2022 mein khela hoi,” read the new slogan of Samajwadi party. It must be mentioned that Varanasi is the Lok Sabha constituency of PM Narendra Modi.
Reportedly, the slogan was written by ex-MLA and Samajwadi party leader Abdul Samad Ansari. He had put the slogan on the walls of his entire building. Moreover, he has urged the Samajwadi party leader Akhilesh Yadav to do the same thing in line with Trinamool Congress workers in West Bengal. Ansari alleged, “The way Didi and people of Bengal have played with the BJP, similarly Bhojpuri society will play with the ruling party.”
‘Khela Hobe’ and the vicious cycle of violence in West Bengal
Mamata Banerjee had coined the term ‘Khela hobe’ (we will have a match) as Trinamool Congress’ election slogan, ahead of the West Bengal Vidhan Sabha polls. Initially, it appeared as harmless banter but soon turned into a political slugfest. TMC members made a wall painting in Bengal wherein Mamata Banerjee was seen hitting PM Modi’s head instead of a football.
Meanwhile, the West Bengal CM continued to provoke her party workers to retaliate against the central armed forces and BJP workers. Several instances of violence were reported during the various stages of polling. State BJP president Dilip Ghosh alleged his convoy was attacked in Cooch Behar with not just stones and bricks but also bombs by TMC workers. The residence of scientist Govardhan Das was also ambushed by the miscreants, resulting him being trapped in his own house along with other family members.
Women in West Bengal have moved the Supreme Court narrating the details of the horrifying gang-rapes they were subjected to in the post-poll violence by the members of ruling party. They have sought SIT probe into all the incidents as well as alleged inaction of the police. During post-poll violence, over two dozen BJP karyakartas were reportedly killed. In a report submitted by the Group of Intellectuals and Academicians (GIA), it was mentioned that those who suffered the wrath of TMC workers after winning the elections were from marginal sections of Hindu society who had voted for BJP