Prime Minister Narendra Modi honored 98-year-old BJP veteran Makhanlal Sarkar by touching his feet during a swearing-in ceremony in Kolkata [1].
The gesture occurred as the Bharatiya Janata Party established its first government in West Bengal since independence [3]. This event marks a significant political shift in a state long dominated by other parties, highlighting the BJP's effort to bridge its current victory with its historical roots.
During the ceremony on July 4, 2024 [2], Suvendu Adhikari took the oath as the chief minister of West Bengal [2]. The event served as the backdrop for Modi to seek blessings from Sarkar, a worker whose tenure with the party spans several decades [1].
Sarkar is recognized for his historic participation in the 1952 Kashmir movement [2]. He served alongside Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the founder of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the predecessor to the modern BJP [2]. By honoring Sarkar, Modi connected the new administration in Kolkata to the early ideological foundations of the party.
The ceremony in Kolkata was attended by party leadership and supporters to witness the transition of power [3]. The act of touching the feet of an elder is a traditional Indian mark of respect and humility, used here to acknowledge Sarkar's lifelong service to the organization [1].
Sarkar's presence at the event underscored the longevity of the party's struggle to gain a foothold in West Bengal [1]. The appointment of Adhikari as chief minister represents the culmination of that effort [3].
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi honored 98-year-old BJP veteran Makhanlal Sarkar by touching his feet.”
The public honoring of Makhanlal Sarkar is a symbolic effort by the BJP to legitimize its first government in West Bengal by linking current political success to the party's founding era. By highlighting Sarkar's 1952 activities with Syama Prasad Mukherjee, the party frames its victory not as a recent surge, but as the fulfillment of a decades-long historical mission.
