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The immaculately beautiful days of Indian Politics – My Days with the Legends of India
Suman Munshi, 15 February 2021, Kolkata: Anindya Gopal Mitra means everyone’s favorite “Gopal Da” is the behind-the-scenes silent hero of all-India politics. Witnessing many ups and downs of the long five decades, Gopal Da now opened the pen for the readers of IBG News. In the days to come, under the title ” The immaculately beautiful days of Indian Politics “, we will know many unknown inner stories of Indian Politics, a lot of love, pain, sweet memories as well not so sweet events too will see the light for the first time.
One by one, we reminisced about his intimate moments with all the famous leaders, which we will gradually reveal. Many things may be said, some things must be kept in mind, but discussion on Jayaprakash Narayan (JP Saheb), Indira Gandhi, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, his experiences with Lal Krishna Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi, Jyoti Basu, Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Mamata Banerjee, Pranab Mukherjee and one of his favorite leaders Narendra Modi will be a political document for the people of Bengal and India. His political friend list is a star-studded one few among them are Rajnath Singh, Prakash Javdekar, Nitish Kumar and so many. The next generation will know why all these leaders are different and respected by all.
Leaders and activists of all political parties, big and small, have adopted him knowingly in this context, RSP’s Tridib Chowdhury, forward blocker Ashok Ghosh, Chitta Babu, Samajwadi Party leaders all considered him as a political rival, but they believed that Gopal Da would not take any undue opportunity, and so he was the closest person to all of them as well. Which is a rare thing in politics nowadays, especially in Bengal?
When Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh’s Janata Morcha government formed in the country, he was appointed as one of the advisors to the Prime Minister on behalf of the Bharatiya Janata Party. Standing in those turbulent times, which many see as a symbol of the party’s reliance on his political wisdom. Party further entrusted him with the post of State Secretary in the year 1989 to 1996 for Six long years continuously to set up the BJP bastion in West Bengal in the initial days. Which lead to the foundation of today’s winning team in Bengal.
To inform the readers, Gopal Da was one companion and Personal Assistant of Jayaprakash Narayan (JP Saheb), better known as the “Lok Nayak” in Indian politics. So the political nobility is in his deeds, in his ideals. Even today, Akrur Dutt Lane’s house is an open door for everyone.
His long experience as an RSS Pracharak helped him to uphold the ideals of political allegiance and discipline. A dedicated worker and leader of his time, who saw the high and low of Indian politics very closely.
When I turned up in the middle of the day, he smiled and said, “Do you remember the journalist?” Tea and Samosa came in a blink of an eye. It surprised me to see that after three years, he again saw me, but he did not forget “Samoha from his special shop is my special choice”. The ability to own people in this way makes a person of large stature, big in mind, and kind in heart.
When the use of rude language is a new trend in today’s politics, “Gopal Da” never forgets political etiquette, while discussing controversial issues. Even criticizing the extreme political opponents with dignity is an Art, which he knows very well.
The 2021 multi-phase elections are going to be a milestone in the history of Bengal elections. The BJP is ready to reach the top of the power, and the TMC is reluctant to give up an inch of land. Such tensions and fears fights require the stimulus of youth with the political wisdom of veterans in elections. What we need is a clear direction for the new government to bring back the lost glory of Bengal in the fields of industry, agriculture, and education. Let Bengal be prosperous in persuading real development, not change for the sake of a change.
Discussions began in the informed circles that Anindya Gopal Mitra will appear on the BJP’s field with his long experience of five decades and will be a shining guide for the new generation of leaders on how to combine ideal political etiquette and winning recipe.
The next day we will bring some of the invaluable memories of Gopal Da with Mr. J.P. Keep an eye out for “The immaculately beautiful days of Indian Politics” in this section.
*** Author Suman Munshi Chief Editor, IBG News, General Secretary, All Indian Reporters Association (W.B.) ***
