Mithun Chakraborty Declares End of Gundaraj in West Bengal
Actor Mithun Chakraborty claims the era of gundaraj in West Bengal has ended, dismissing opposition claims during a Diwali event.
Mumbai, November 10 (Daily Kiran) : Veteran actor and politician Mithun Chakraborty has asserted that the era of ‘gundaraj’—or rule by thugs—in West Bengal has come to a definitive end. Speaking to the media during a recent Diwali celebration, Chakraborty firmly rejected claims made by the opposition regarding the resurgence of mob rule in the state.
He questioned the validity of these claims, stating, “What have we endured for 15 years? What can I say about it? They claim that thugs are ruling. Have you ever seen such freedom? Why are you raising questions? This is how it should be.”
Chakraborty further criticized the opposition for lacking substantial issues to address, which he believes has led them to focus on the topic of mob rule. His comments come amid rising allegations of mob violence in the state. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has raised concerns about intimidation in rural areas such as West Medinipur and South 24 Parganas, as well as vandalism in churches and violations of funeral rights.
“When you are in the opposition, you have to create some noise. Now they have nothing left. They talk about ‘Kalighat Trinamool.’ Does such a thing really exist? It’s all over, sir,” he added.
Notably, Chakraborty himself was a member of the TMC during a significant portion of the 15 years that the party was accused of fostering mob rule. He was nominated to the Rajya Sabha by then Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on February 7, 2014, and resigned from his post on December 26, 2016. In 2021, he joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in a high-profile event attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Kailash Vijayvargiya.
Throughout his political career, Chakraborty has traversed a wide ideological spectrum, from leftist movements to right-wing politics. He was once involved in the Naxalbari movement but left it due to personal family crises. After graduating from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), he became a superstar and ventured into politics, achieving considerable success. He later transitioned from the center-left TMC to the right-wing BJP.
