A touching and symbolic moment took place today during the swearing-in ceremony of West Bengal’s first Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari. As the state transitioned into a new political era, Prime Minister Narendra Modi stole the spotlight by performing a traditional gesture of deep respect. Upon arriving at the stage at Kolkata`s Brigade Parade Ground, the Prime Minister was seen bowing down to touch the feet of 97-year-old veteran leader Makhan Lal Sarkar. According to a report by NDTV, the Prime Minister not only sought his blessings but also shared a warm embrace with the elderly statesman, a move that resonated deeply with the thousands in attendance.
Makhan Lal Sarkar is widely regarded as one of the oldest living pioneers of the nationalist movement in India. A resident of Siliguri, he served as the first district president of the BJP’s Siliguri organizational district. His political roots trace back to the era of the Jan Sangh, where he worked closely with the party’s founder, Syama Prasad Mookerjee. West Bengal BJP President Shamik Bhattacharya highlighted that Sarkar was one of the few associates who accompanied Mookerjee on his historic and final trip to Kashmir in 1953, where the founder tragically died under mysterious circumstances while in custody.
The story of Makhan Lal Sarkar is one of immense courage and unwavering principles. During the early years of independent India, he was arrested by the Delhi Police for singing patriotic songs. When brought before a judge, he was offered release on the condition of an apology, which he firmly rejected. Sarkar maintained that he had committed no crime by singing songs for his country. In a remarkable turn of events, the judge asked to hear the song, and after Sarkar performed it in the courtroom, the judge was so moved that he ordered the police to provide him with a first-class train ticket home and 100 rupees for his journey.
Sarkar’s organizational contributions were pivotal in establishing the BJP’s presence in North Bengal. After the party`s formal formation in 1980, he was tasked with coordinating efforts across West Dinajpur, Jalpaiguri, and Darjeeling districts. His success was unparalleled; within just one year, he managed to recruit approximately 10,000 new members to the party. While party rules at the time generally limited an individual’s tenure in a leadership post to two years, Sarkar’s exceptional performance led him to serve as district president for seven consecutive years starting in 1981.
Prime Minister Modi’s decision to publicly honor such a veteran leader is seen by analysts as a strategic nod to the party’s ideological foundations and a sign of respect for the struggles of early grassroots workers. By bowing to a man who witnessed the very birth of the nationalist movement in Bengal, Modi bridged the gap between the party’s humble beginnings and its current position of power in the state. As Suvendu Adhikari takes charge of the administration, the image of the Prime Minister seeking the blessings of a 97-year-old associate of Syama Prasad Mookerjee remains the most enduring memory of the day for many.
