Meghmallar gives strong reaction to Shashi Tharoor's remarks

Meghmallar Basu, a candidate for the post of General Secretary (GS) in the recently held DUCSU elections, has expressed a strong reaction over Indian Congress leader Shashi Tharoor's concern on the victory of Chhatra Shibir in the elections.

He posted a status on his Facebook wall on Thursday night,a few hours after Shashi's remarks.

He wrote: "Dear, Mr. Shashi Tharoor, I am pretty sure this message will not reach you. Even if it did, you will probably not take it seriously, mostly because my English is not half as eloquent as yours. My name is Meghmallar Bosu. I was the general secretary candidate from 'Force of Resistance' panel in the latest DUCSU election. Despite the involvement of state agencies, rising Islamofasicst tendencies and a huge gulf in money and muscle power I garnered almost 5000 votes in the election. It is safe to say, I represent the progressive students of Dhaka University."

"I speak on behalf of my voters when I say don't make any comments on right wing politics in Bangladesh. While your insight, that people are fed up with the corruption of the major parties and hence looking for alternatives is true, you fail to realize how your comment only helps the far right in Bangladesh. You fail to realise how the people of Bangladesh perceive you. You don't even have the humility to understand that you are inadvertently doing a PR campaign for Jamaat," Megh added.

He further stated: "Moreover, why is Islami Chatro Shibir's victory 'worrying' to you? Aren't you the same person who ran a right wing election campaign in Kerala on the question of Sabrimala restrictions just to defeat CPIM? If you want to lecture any neighbour on anything please defeat the Hindutva fascists in a national election first. It is said that those who live in a glassed house don't pelt stones at others' homes. Those who have failed to defeat Modi and Amit Shah in three consecutive elections shouldn’t have the luxury to worry about what is happening in a student body election in another country."

"The role of India in Bangladesh has become so toxic that your statement itself empowers shibir. If you have too much free time you can do more stand up shows. The last one was pretty entertaining.

"Let us oil our own machines. I hope the people of India will finally be able to defeat Hintuva fascists in the polls. We will gladly give up our lives to resist Islamofasicsts in our country. We will stand in solidarity with each other when necessary. But please stop the lectures. You are no better than us," he added.

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor raised alarm over the sweeping victory of Jamaat-e-Islami’s student wing at Dhaka University, calling it a worrying portent for Bangladesh’s political trajectory and for India’s relations with its neighbour.

On X, Shashi Tharoor wrote, "This may have registered as barely a blip on most Indian minds, but it is a worrying portent of things to come."

He pointed that there is an increasing sense of frustration in Bangladesh with both major parties -- the (now banned) Awami League and the Bangladesh National Party, adding that those who wish "a plague on both your houses" are increasingly turning to the Jamaat-e-Islami, not because these voters are zealots or Islamist fundamentalists, but because the JeI are not tainted by the corruption and misgovernance associated, rightly or wrongly, with the two mainstream parties.