One of the greatest writers that this civilisation has ever produced, Rabindranath Tagore, in his collection of poems Gitanjali wrote, 'Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high, where knowledge is free.

If there is any place in our great country which epitomises the spirit of this poem, it is none other than Bengal itself.

Bengal is not merely one of the 29 states of our country but has been one of the cornerstones of our civilisation and a citadel of learning, knowledge and culture. People from this state have successfully led the country in several spheres and impacted generations of Indians throughout history.

Speaking about myself, I live by the immortal words of Swami Vivekananda - 'Arise, awake and do not stop until the goal is achieved'. This has been my mantra for decades. Trying to follow the teachings and footsteps of such stalwarts and icons can shape your life as well as destiny as it did mine.

In my cricketing career I was presented with an opportunity to come very close to the people of this beautiful state. If there is one thing I can say with certainty, it is that playing for Kolkata Knight Riders has been one of the most fulfilling things I have done in my life.

When I reflect on my experiences, I realise that it was not just because of my team, the management or the fact that we were able to win but my professional as well as personal fulfilment stemmed from the elation of the people.

Not even for a brief moment was I made to feel that I was an outsider and was not born or brought up in Kolkata or anywhere else in Bengal; that I had not attended Presidency College or Jadavpur University or that I did not have egg rolls from Park Street while growing up.

I always felt like a part of this huge and happy family which showered me with love and blessings every time I came to the state.

That is precisely why I felt particularly sad and dejected when I read the argument of the Hon’ble CM Mamata Banerjee that BJP is a party of outsiders. She had further stated that BJP has no place in Bengal and that Bengalis should be wary of it.

Before I make my point, I would just like to go back to Tagore’s poem which read 'Where the world has not been broken up into fragments by narrow domestic walls'.

The CM and her party are completely oblivious of the Bengal and India envisioned by Tagore. I know for a fact that true-blue Bengalis would never feel this way about their own countrymen.

This ‘othering’ of people has been the root cause of so many battles in our country since ages and if we, as a people, want to rise and become a prosperous country, we need to let go of this tendency of creating abstract barriers among people.

Bengalis have always been progressive but this argument and outlook of the Trinamool Congress is nothing but regressive and primitive.

Another issue which needs to be highlighted at this point is that of the incessant and mindless killings of political workers, activists and the series of violent clashes between parties. The fate of the people as well of the state cannot be decided by bombs and bullets. Multiple reports of bomb-making factories working in overdrive have surfaced in recent times.

Intimidation, threats and violence have been normalised by the Left and the Trinamool Congress for decades and it has now become a part of the political culture of Bengal.

The ruling party is willing to go to any extent to silence any opposition in the state. This is not the ethos of Bengal and the voters must make it clear.

They have to put their foot down and decide whether they want the rule of syndicate or a Sonar Bangla?

Whether they want nepotism or merit?

Whether they are with infiltrators or with our brave-hearts? Whether they want crime and corruption or PORIBORTAN?

Gautam Gambhir is a Member of Parliament from the BJP, representing East Delhi in the Lok Sabha. He led the Kolkata Knight Riders to two IPL titles as captain.

Gautam Gambhir

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