West Bengal politics is heating up as elections take place almost every day. With campaigns reaching a feverish pitch, the Bharatiya Janata Party launched a protest song ‘Bella Ciao,’ recently featured in the popular Money Heist web series, aimed at the government of the Trinamool Congress. The BJP has launched a new campaign ad called ‘Pishi Jao.’
The ‘Pishi’ (aunt) in ‘Pishi Jao’ is clearly Mamata Banerjee. ‘Pishi’ is a snide jibe at the West Bengal Chief Minister who happens to the aunt of Trinamool MP Abhishek Banerjee, a leader who has been accused of corruption by his opponents.
“Bangla e shudu, dangabaazi, o pishi jaao, pishi jaao, pishi jaao, jaao, jaao. Raasta behaal, bangla e aakal, pishi jaao, jaao, jaao, pishi jaao. Kano mitthe, mitther prochaar? Pishi jaao, jaao, jaao, pishi jaao (There are only riots in Bengal, aunty leave. Roads are in a bad state and so is Bengal. Aunty, leave. Why are you publicizing lies? Aunty, leave),” goes the lyrics of Pishi Jao.
‘Bella Ciao’ has gained prominence throughout the world as an anti-fascist song and an anthem against oppressive regimes. West Bengal has seen widespread political violence in recent years with the murder of a large number of BJP kayakarts allegedly caused by political vendettas. Only on Saturday, the leader of Trinamool threatened that only the voters of Trinamool could vote in the elections to the Assembly.
Under such circumstances, ‘Pishi Jao’ is likely to resonate among the major sections of the Bengal electorate.
