Mamata Slams PM Modi's "Bankim Da" Remark: "Harida, Shyamda-like"

• West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee criticized PM Modi for referring to Bankim Chandra Chatterjee as "Bankim Da."
• Mamata stated that calling the 'Vande Mataram' author "Bankim Da" trivializes his stature and disrespects Bengal's history and culture.
• The controversy arose after PM Modi used the term in Lok Sabha during a discussion on 150 years of 'Vande Mataram'.
• Mamata accused the BJP of repeatedly trying to diminish Bengal's contributions to the freedom struggle and attempting to change history.
• The issue has become a focal point in West Bengal politics as elections approach, escalating tensions.

Why It Matters: A naming controversy reveals deep cultural and political divides in West Bengal elections.