Folk singer who hosted Amit Shah for lunch says wasn’t allowed to talk to him; walks with Mamata at TMC rally

Folk singer Basudeb Das Baul, who had hosted Union Home Minister Amit Shah for lunch at his humble home in West Bengal’s Birbhum earlier this month during Shah’s visit to the state, participated in Mamata Banerjee’s rally on Tuesday.

Days after the Home Minister’s visit, Baul had complained that he was not allowed to speak to his guest and seek a job or opportunities for higher education for his daughter.

Last week, the singer paid a visit to TMC’s district secretary in Bolpur, Anubrata Mondal, where he confirmed that he would walk alongside the West Bengal Chief Minister with a contingent of Baul singers, as per a report in The Statesman.

Shah had visited the singer’s home for ‘home-cooked food’ when he had gone to Bolpur to visit Visva-Bharati University and lead a BJP rally there.

“After Shah left, nobody from the BJP bothered to talk to me although they came to me with the request to host the lunch. I did all the shopping. They only bought the sweets served that day,” Baul was quoted as saying. “I am under no pressure from the TMC. I came to Mondal voluntarily,” he said.

"I had a few things to tell to Amit Shah Ji, who is such a big person. I wanted to tell him about the condition of baul artistes and whether something could be done (to improve it),” he added.

Banerjee’s mega road show from Tourist Lodge More to Jamboni Bus stand, believed to be a counter to Amit Shah’s programme, has been graced with singers artists performing on Rabindra Sangeet.

Mamata Banerjee requested Baul to give his blessings to the crowd with a live performance. Baul obliged the Trinamool leader by giving a rendition of one of his folk songs.

TMC’s district leadership claimed the rally was attended by over 1.5 lakh people.