Kolkata: Trinamool Congress General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Monday penned a poem on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in West Bengal to express his anger over its impact on people.
Instead of protesting through political mobilisation or other means, Banerjee used the power of his pen to speak out on behalf of the people against the Election Commission’s move. Every line of the poem reflects what he described as the oppression of the people by the Centre. The poem is titled ‘Ami Oswikar Kori’ (I refuse to accept).
Sharing the poem in a social media post, Banerjee said, “In the depths of my inner turmoil over an insidious process that has shattered lives, and echoing the collective anguish, pain and righteous fury of our people, I have channelled these emotions into a humble verse.”
The opening lines of the poem read: “I refuse to accept — this recklessness, this rule by lists, this reign of fear. I refuse to accept — the debt of blood in the name of the state. I refuse to accept — the rule of ink over blood.”
In the poem, every word and phrase reflects the horror and pain of the recent situation arising out of the SIR exercise. The poem voices a protest against the rules imposed on the people during the SIR process.
So far, around 150 people have died since the SIR exercise began in the state. Referring to that number, Banerjee claimed, “This is not just a number; it is the cry of people in the fire ignited by the state.”
Targeting what he described as the futility of the SIR method, he wrote: “In the state’s records, statistics take the place of lives. Conscience, truth and honour are crushed under the ruler’s boots.”
Banerjee also invoked history in his poem. His verses state: “And history — it does not forgive, it does not read lists. History remembers who resisted, who fought, who stood their ground, who ignited the fire. History never forgives those who belittle the people.”
Through this poem, he has once again raised his voice against the SIR exercise. Earlier, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had written 26 poems protesting against the exercise. Now, Abhishek Banerjee has also joined that list.
(IANS)
