Mamata Banerjee’s turns to poetry to protest against SIR in Bengal

Amid the ongoing political and legal battle against the special intensive revision of electoral rolls, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has adopted an unusual form of protest, authoring 26 poems on the issue.

The poems in the book titled “SIR: 26 in 26” stand out with titles like ‘Panic’, ‘Doom’, ‘Mockery’, ‘Fight’, ‘Democracy’ and ‘Who Is To Blame’. The book was released on January 22 at the 49^th International Kolkata Book Fair.

In the introduction, Banerjee dedicates the book to “those who have lost their lives in this ruinous game”, alleging that a “relentless campaign of fear” has been unleashed on the people of Bengal.

She writes that the poems emerge from a “spirit of resistance.”

“How long do we stay silent still? Silence does not mean peace-it means lives are falling, dripping away to nothing,” reads the poem titled ‘Doom’.

“We want answers. And answers will be given in people’s court,” it adds.

Another poem titled ‘Morgue’ alleges that “democracy is being beaten, scrubbed raw,” and claims that protest itself has fallen into the grip of “agency-raj.” During an informal interaction with journalists on the sidelines of a press conference here, the West Bengal chief minister claimed that she wrote the book in three days while travelling.

With 163 published books to her credit, Banerjee said she does not draw a pension as a former MP and has also forgone her salary as chief minister. It’s the earnings from royalties for these books and other creative works that sustain her personal expenses, she claimed.

The founder of TMC is known for her wide-ranging creative pursuits. A prolific author, she has written across genres, including poetry, short stories, essays and political commentary.

She is also a painter, with many of her creations having been exhibited in India and internationally. She has also composed songs and penned lyrics on a wide range of topics, from social themes and nature to human emotions.