'Onek Jago Maa Hoyeche...": Man Asks Bengali Singer To Sing Something 'Secular', Arrested

Kolkata: A popular singer from West Bengal, Lagnajita Chakraborty, was abused for not singing “secular” songs, during her live show at a private school in East Midnapore's Bhagwanpur. The popular singer claimed that the accused, Mehboob Mallik, attempted to assault her. Malik was later arrested.

In a written complaint to the police, Chakraborty also claimed that Mallik used “abusive” language directed at her. The singer also claimed that Mallika is the governing body member of the school.

What Actually Happened

In her complaint, Chakraborty claimed that the incident took place when she announced to the audience that she was going to sing a popular Bengali spiritual song “Jago Ma”, when a man allegedly got up on the stage and tried to “physically assault” her.

“He (Mehboob Mallik) wanted to beat me up,” she claimed.

Describing the incident, Chakraborty said that Mallik shouted at her saying, “Onek Jago Maa hoyeche, ebar kichu Secular ga (Enough of Jago Maa, Now sing something secular)”  

The singer also claimed that the officer in charge of the Bhagwanpur police station initially refused to file a case. The case was filed later, which led to her arrest.

BJP Gets Opportunity

The BJP which has got the right moment to churn up a political storm in the state, heading up for elections next year, claimed that Mallik is a member of the ruling TMC. There was no immediate reaction from the ruling party. The BJP and the TMC will be fighting head-to-head in the West Bengal assembly elections, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi already declaring during the recent Bihar election victory, that West Bengal would be their next big political aim.

"West Bengal is in the hand of Jihadis. They are directing the singer as to which song she should sing. It was an anti-Hindu approach," BJP's Shankudeb Panda was quoted as saying in a report. "When she (Lagnajita Chakraborty) had gone to the police station, (Chief Minister) Mamata Banerjee's police refused to lodge a police complaint," he claimed.

The incident also took place days after the Vande Mataram debate took place in the Lok Sabha in which the TMC accused the BJP of pitting two Bengali cultural icons, Rabindranath Tagore and Bankim Chandra Chakraborty, against one another.

ALSO READ: Why is 'Vande Mataram' Being Debated in Parliament After 150 Years? Explained