Mamata came to SC to star in a political-electoral theatre. It was good acting

Politics is rarely business as usual in India and yesterday proved that again. Bengal chief minister’s decision to appear before Supreme Court alongside her battery of lawyers was a neta move of a different league. Whatever the outcome of the Bengal SIR case, Mamata Banerjee’s presence in court swung public glare back on EC’s glitchy process and time-stretched exercise to make new electoral rolls months ahead of state elections. Equally important for Trinamool, that the three-time chief minister – in contest for a fourth term – fought for her state before CJI-led bench is already campaign material and on its way to becoming social media memes.

Jostling with fellow lawyers, Mamata’s folded hands and repeated missives of “humble regard” to the justices were perfect cover for all the potshots she took at EC, chucking them not unlike crumpled paper balls. ‘Name mismatch’ and Bengali pronunciation and translation formed bulk of the proceedings. CM sought five minutes, CJI promised her 15, and she went on to use every second of the 10-12 minutes she spoke. She seized the opportunity to highlight what she described as the plight of BLOs – over 100 people had taken their lives, she said, slipped in the word ‘murdered’ but made it sound like a typo in speech, fretted about BLOs hospitalised, accused EC of bulldozing Bengal, and made much about the inclusion of micro-observers “from BJP states”, saying Bengal’s being “targeted”.

So, Mamata hit all the hot button points she was there to campaign for. EC’s counsel spiritedly countered her on her allegation that six letters to EC hadn’t received any reply – EC didn’t know Bengal’s grievances. And the case goes on. Performance, not so much governance, and an always-on persona have become essential to today’s personality politics. In this plug-’n-play era, Didi’s day in court was political innovation.

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