Bengal's Soul Isn't for Sale: A Wake-Up Call Against Cultural Bulldozers ...

In the heart of Kolkata, where the echo of Mohun Bagan's roars still lingers from historic victories and the verses of Rabindranath Tagore continue to inspire generations, there's a growing unease. How did we get here—a place where outsiders stumble over "Mohun Bagan" (it's Mo-hoon Bah-gawn, by the way), glaze over why Tagore earned the Nobel for Gitanjali in 1913, and treat Bengal like just another patch of real estate to conquer? These are the folks bulldozing our institutions, eyeing political power without a shred of empathy for what makes Bengal Bengal. They know nothing of our pujo pandals bursting with creativity, the fiery debates over ilish maach recipes during monsoon feasts, or the pluralistic ethos that welcomes everyone—from Durga idols to Christmas lights—without batting an eye. To them, every Bengali-speaking voice sounds like a Bangladeshi infiltrator, not a proud son or daughter of this soil.It's infuriating. Bengal isn't a blank canvas for power grabs. Our open-mindedness, forged in the fires of the Renaissance and the freedom struggle, isn't up for auction. We've hosted poets, revolutionaries, and football legends who defined India. We've celebrated addabazar intellectual clashes over chai and mishti, blending Hindu, Muslim, and every shade in between in our festivals. This cultural mosaic—resilient, pluralistic, and fiercely independent—defines us.Yet, these power-hungry outsiders dismiss it all, seeing only vote banks and land deals. They have no future here because Bengalis won't trade their heritage for hollow promises. We've seen empires rise and fall; Tagore's spirit reminds us: "Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high." Bengal's ethos demands leaders who cherish it, not exploit it.It's time to reclaim our narrative. Bengal's soul isn't for sale—it's alive in every puja dhaak beat, every rosogolla bite, and every Mohun Bagan chant. Let's protect it, not pawn it. Mamata Banerjee @highlight