In a significant political gesture, Trinamool Congress national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Tuesday visited Sunali Khatun, a woman who was recently brought back to India following a Supreme Court directive after being deported to Bangladesh. The meeting took place at a hospital, a day after Khatun gave birth to her second child.
A Gesture of Solidarity and a Name for the Newborn
During his visit, the Lok Sabha MP from Diamond Harbour revealed that at the mother's request, he named the newborn boy 'Apon'. The Bengali word, meaning 'one's own', was chosen as a symbol of belonging. Banerjee emphasized that no authority should make citizens feel like strangers in their own land. "They are ours. They belong with us, among us, forever," he asserted. He also promised to ensure the family receives all necessary support and said he would visit them again soon.
Political Allegories and Sharp Criticism
Banerjee did not mince words in his criticism of the central government, drawing a sharp parallel from Hindu mythology. In a post on social media platform X, which included a video of his hospital visit, he likened the current leadership to the Kauravas from the Mahabharata.
"In the Mahabharata, the Kauravas met their downfall because of the grave sin of violating Draupadi's dignity out of arrogance. The modern-day Duryodhana-Dushasana duo will face democratic retribution in Bengal for the unspeakable torture, insult, and humiliation inflicted upon a pregnant mother," he wrote. This remark was widely seen as a direct reference to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The Backstory: Deportation and Return
The case of Sunali Khatun underscores a complex issue of citizenship. She, along with her eight-year-old son, was deported to Bangladesh nearly six months ago on suspicion of being a citizen of that country. Following legal interventions, the Supreme Court ordered her repatriation. The central government ultimately facilitated her return on December 5 on "humanitarian grounds in view of her advanced pregnancy."
While Khatun and her elder son are now back in India, her husband remains in Bangladesh, adding a layer of personal tragedy to the situation. Banerjee stated that seeing the newborn reinforced the "sacred responsibility" of public representatives to defend the rights and dignity of every citizen.
The TMC leader, who is also the nephew of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, had announced his intention to meet Khatun and her child on Monday, turning a personal humanitarian act into a moment of high political symbolism ahead of the crucial electoral landscape in Bengal.
