Brigade set to witness history once more

Kolkata: The BJP's decision to hold the oath-taking ceremony at Kolkata's Brigade Parade Ground on May 9 carries a political message rooted in history, symbolism and reflects on the change of guard in the state. The carefully chosen space is a symbol of political churning and transformation in Bengal for a century or more.The Brigade Parade Ground or the Maidan, set against the backdrop of Victoria Memorial Hall and Shahid Minar, remains Kolkata's most prominent site for mass gatherings, often volatile and violentand a venue for display of power. It hosted Soviet leaders Nikita Khrushchev and Nikolai Bulganin in 1955, and major political addresses by Indira Gandhi and Sheikh Mujibur Rahman after the formation of Bangladesh. While former South African president and anti-apartheid leader Nelson Mandela made a historic speech at Eden Gardens in 1990, Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez addressed a Brigade rally in 2005.From the early 1980s, the ground became closely associated with the CPM, which held massive annual rallies there. But since 2011, the Trinamool shifted its political centre of gravity from Brigade and held its July 21 Martyrs' Day rally at Dharmatala.In 2016, Trinamool did hold its swearing-in at the Brigade, but moved to Raj Bhavan five years later. It held no important rally at the Brigade later, leaving it open for BJP, then the main opposition here, to move in. PM Narendra Modi's March 14 rally at the venue marked the beginning of the party's ‘Paribartan Yatra'. At this rally, BJP launched its campaign as a "declaration of the people's will for change".BJP choosing the Brigade ground as the oath-taking venue was an attempt at capturing the heart of Bengal politics, felt some observers. The ground offered a much bigger space to house massive crowds, making it a show of strength and support, said sociologist Prashanta Ray. "Left started protest rallies in the '50s at Wellington Square. It being a cramped space, they moved to Brigade. The CPM used it for many years and the sea of people at its rallies served as a regular reminder of them being the most powerful. When they formed the govt, it became a seat of political muscle-flexing never seen in Bengal politics until then. The BJP's decision to use it for oath-taking is prompted by the need to identify themselves with most powerful imagery of Bengal politics," said Ray.A few months ago, a large-scale Gita recitation was held at the Brigade by Sanatan Sanskriti Sansad, attended by religious leaders and BJP figures. The latter called for ‘a Hindu nation' and signalled BJP's foray into the Maidan in the election season. The programme took place just a day after Humayun Kabir laid the foundation stone for a mosque in Murshidabad.Bengal BJP functionaries on Wednesday said the swearing-in at the Brigade would be a continuation of a political tradition. "Historically, Brigade has been part of major political developments in Bengal," said Bengal BJP leader Shishir Bajoria.