West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday demanded an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that he insulted cultural icon Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay by referring to him as “Bankim da” during a Lok Sabha discussion. The discussion commemorated 150 years of the national song, Vande Mataram, written by Chattopadhyay.

Addressing a rally in Cooch Behar district, Banerjee said PM Modi was not even born when India achieved Independence, yet he chose to address one of Bengal’s greatest literary figures casually. “You did not even show him the minimum respect he deserves. You should apologise for this, to the nation,” she asserted.

The controversy arose after TMC MP Saugata Roy objected to the use of the suffix “da” in the House and suggested the PM use “Bankim babu” instead. PM Modi immediately accepted the correction, responding, “I will say Bankim ‘babu’. Thank you, I respect your sentiments,” and added humorously whether he could still address Roy as “dada.”

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Targeting the BJP, Banerjee claimed that the party, if it comes to power in West Bengal, will undermine the state’s culture, language, and heritage. She accused the central leadership of disregarding Bengal’s historical and literary significance for political purposes.

Banerjee also commented on the upcoming assembly elections, noting that polls will likely be declared soon after the publication of the final electoral rolls following the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise. She stressed that this timing would prevent legal challenges to the electoral process.

The incident has reignited debates over political sensitivity and cultural respect, with opposition leaders criticizing the PM’s casual approach and calling for acknowledgment of Bengal’s literary and historical icons in public discourse.

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