KOLKATA: After penning down a poem on National Register of Citizenship (NRC), West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday evening published another poem expressing anguish over recent cancellation of her trips to China, Chicago and to St. Stephen's in Delhi stating that the Centre has made her an 'untouchable'.
Titled 'Untouchable', the poem read: "Do you want to go to China? No comments, please. Political diplomacy cancelled it. Want to visit Chicago? To commemorate 125 years of Swami Vivekananda's address? Religious monopoly shut down the door. Accepted the invitation of St. Stephen's College? Not allowed a friend. See the class struggle." She also touched upon the NRC issue in her recent poem.
"Want to protest for Indian citizens in Assam? You are anti-national. Fortunately you were born in West Bengal, otherwise, you would have been called an intruder. Fair enough friends, fine touch, you are untouchable," the poem added.
The West Bengal Chief Minister's visit to China was cancelled just hours before her flight on June 22 after the Chinese Communist Party could not confirm political meetings at 'appropriate levels'. Just a few days later, her visit to Chicago in the United States to attend the 125th anniversary of Swami Vivekananda's historic speech at the Parliament of World Religions was cancelled by Ramkrishna Mission's Vivekananda Vedanta Society citing 'unforeseen difficulties'.
Her visit to St. Stephen's College in Delhi was also cancelled last month. The West Bengal Chief Minister had penned down a poem on NRC on August 6 where she alleged that people were selectively being targeted based on their identity. ends//