With the Panchayat elections in mind, Trinamool Congress Chairperson and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has turned playwright too. After giving ample examples of her talent as an artist, a poet and a writer, she has now turned her attention to street plays.
The play is titled ‘Jayatu’, meaning ‘be victorious’. The 15-minute play, performed by eight actors and actresses, has already been a huge hit in the various districts. On the opening day – May 7– 69 groups performed the play across all the 23 districts. As of now, the plan is for 100 theatre groups to perform 1,200 shows.
The issues highlighted in the play follow three broad themes – the developmental schemes undertaken by the Trinamool Congress Government since coming to power in 2011, which have brought about all-round development of the State, the negative policies of the BJP and the 34-year misrule of the Left Front.
Among the schemes and achievements highlighted are foodgrains at Rs 2 per kg, Kanyashree, Rupashree, fair-price medicine shops in government hospitals, Lokprasar Prakalpa (for folk artistes), Manabik (for the differently abled), setting up of new universities and Kisan Mandis. The various festivals initiated by the State Government across Bengal, Tele Academy Awards, theatre festivals in the districts, the annual Sangeet Mela and other entertainment programmes are also highlighted.
As far as the BJP is concerned, highlighted have been the communal politics that the party is indulging across the country, including in Bengal, like encouraging processions with weapons on Ram Navami, and disastrous policies like demonetisation. Through the play, the three-decade long disastrous rule of the Left Front has also been brought into focus.
Mahishadal Shilpakriti, Laksha Padatik, Rajarshi Raghunandan Chhau and Drama Academy, Bally Ankur, Sonarpur Abirbhab and many other theatre groups are staging the plays. The play was staged and its video, as well as the script, were sent to all the participating theatre groups to bring about uniformity in performances.
Sources: Sangbad Pratidin and Bartaman