Banna touches Saryu’s feet for blessings during Bengal Club’s Poila Boishakh celebrations

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, April 15: Jamshedpur East MLA Saryu Roy and Jharkhand health and Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta came face to face at the Bengal Club’s Poila Boishakh celebrations and people were left in awe when the State Minister touched firebrand Jamshedpur East Legislator’s feet and sought his blessings. The ‘awe’ aspect cropped up because Saryu Roy is known to be Banna Gupta baiter, the latest being the attack on the Minister where the legislator had accused him of misappropriation of government funds that had been kept for incentive payments to health workers during the COVID-19 phases. In fact, it was at Saryu Roy’s allegations that Dr AK Lal’s file was reviewed leading to his dismissal from service while serving as the Civil Surgeon of East Singhbhum district.

It may be mentioned that Saryu Roy again stirred the Hornet’s nest by writing to Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren demanding the dismissal of Health and Disaster Management Minister Banna Gupta accusing him of misappropriation of incentive funds for health workers who gave their services during the COVID-19 phases. This Saryu Roy allegation is the hottest buzz doing the rounds in the Jharkhand state. Pro Banna Gupta Congress Party workers burnt an effigy of Saryu Rai in Mango on Thursday in protest against Saryu Roy’s allegation against the Minister.

Amidst complaints and counter protests including the effigy of Saryu Roy being burnt in Mango on Thursday, people were indeed dismayed  on seeing Banna Gupta touching Saryu Roy’s feet for seeking the senior’s blessings. It was not the first time that Banna Gupta had touched Saryu Roy’s feet but the current imbroglio created by one against the other was indeed a cause of raised eyebrows. The occasion was celebration of the Bengali New Year at the Bengal Club in Sakchi during which Banna Gupta and Saryu Roy were present as guests.

JMM MLA Mangal Kalindi too was a guest but left early after delivering his speech. Banna Gupta and Saryu Roy were seated in the sofa side-by-side during the programme but after the initial pleasantries, they did not have further conversation. While Saryu gazed straight towards the audience, Banna was spotted constantly talking to Bengal Club President Tapas Mitra who is also a senior lawyer of the city who was seated in close proximity to the state Minister. On conclusion of the programme, Saryu Roy left without attending the luncheon but Banna Gupta stayed back and had lunch in the company of the Club’s executives.

While speaking at the inaugural event of Poila Boishakh celebrations, Minister Banna Gupta started his speech in Bengali and the elated audience clapped in delight. But he could not carry on and said that he was sorry for his poor grip on the Bengali language. The Health and Disaster Management Minister assured Bengal Club with contribution from his legislative fund for the Club’s centenary year programmes.

 Earlier, Saryu Roy, in the course of his speech observed, “Among the many great personalities born in Bengal, there were two, one who spoke a lot, while the other wrote a lot. Maharshi Aurobindo wrote a lot while Swami Vivekananda spoke a lot and both influenced the people, not only of Bengal, but the people of the entire country and abroad. The organizations that have been inspired by both these personalities are also discharging their work well.”

The Nabo Barsho programme commenced with traditional Bengali dance and song to welcome the guests. Social activists who had contributed to society in outstanding ways were honoured on the occasion. The guests then jointly inaugurated the new building.