West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee turned to art as a form of protest on Tuesday, sketching a symbolic painting at the ongoing Trinamool Congress sit-in in central Kolkata while sharply criticising the Election Commission over the SIR issue. The artwork, created on the protest stage at Metro Channel in Dharmatala, featured the words “SIR” along with a pointed phrase—“Vanish Kumar”—a clear swipe at the Chief Election Commissioner.
The protest, which began last Friday, is part of the Trinamool Congress’ agitation against the BJP and the Election Commission over alleged irregularities related to the SIR issue. Mamata Banerjee and the party’s national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee have repeatedly accused the Commission of acting unfairly in the matter.
On the fifth day of the demonstration, Mamata picked up a paintbrush and began drawing on a canvas placed at the protest venue. The artwork prominently displayed the letters “SIR” written in English. Beside it, the Chief Minister wrote “Vanish Kumar,” apparently mocking the Chief Election Commissioner.
Explaining the painting later, Mamata insisted that the artwork was purely symbolic and not intended to personally attack anyone. She said the imagery reflected the concerns raised by her party over the alleged disappearance of evidence related to deaths linked to the SIR issue.
“This painting is symbolic,” Mamata said while addressing supporters at the protest site. “Our artists are also painting here. The garlands placed beside the canvas represent the people who have died. According to us, the bodies have vanished, and that is why the word ‘vanish’ appears in the painting. The garlands are a tribute to those who lost their lives.”
The Trinamool Congress has been staging the sit-in at Dharmatala’s Metro Channel since Friday, demanding accountability from the Election Commission and raising a series of allegations against the BJP-led central government over the issue.
Earlier on Monday, Mamata had declared that the protest would continue indefinitely. Tuesday marked the fifth consecutive day of the agitation, with party leaders and supporters gathering at the venue to back the Chief Minister’s call for what she described as a fight for democratic accountability.
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