Bengal appropriates legacy of ‘Saint’ Teresa: Mamata Banerjee leaves no stone unturned

Bengal is more proud as Mother lived and worked here and showered us with her abundant love and care, the Chief Minister of West Bengal said.

New Delhi, September 4: Not unlike many others across the country, Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Bannerjee was quick to stake claim over the legacy of Mother Teresa or Saint Teresa of Calcutta as she is now called. While national leaders were proud of the fact that Teresa lived and served poor in India, Bannerjee took pride in the fact she was based in Calcutta. This isn’t new for Indian leaders or for Indians at all. As soon as someone even remotely connected to India gains global recognition, we rush to get our share of the limelight. The delegation from West Bengal in Vatican City was doing precisely this.

“It’s a prideful moment for Bengal. We got invitation from Vatican, greatly honoured,” Bannerjee was quoted saying by ANI news agency. The Indian delegation was led by Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj. However, the team from West Bengal was separate, and this was further emphasized by mentions of “Team Bengal” on Twitter and Facebook by the Chief Minister. “Bengal is more proud as Mother lived and worked here and showered us with her abundant love and care,” one of her tweets read. “Team Bengal walked all the way from the hotel with songs on our lips,” another tweet with a picture showing her walking alongside other party members.

(ALSO READ: Mother Teresa now turns ‘Saint Teresa of Calcutta’, attains sainthood after canonisation ceremony in Vatican)

Bengal is more proud as Mother lived and worked here and showered us with her abundant love and care

— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 2, 2016

Team Bengal walked all the way from the hotel with songs on our lips pic.twitter.com/EPbWQeo0n1 — Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) September 4, 2016

It’s a prideful moment for Bengal. We got invitation from Vatican, greatly honoured: Mamata Banerjee #SaintTeresa pic.twitter.com/naSBG0AXqf

— ANI (@ANI_news) September 4, 2016

This isn’t the first time regional leaders have rushed to stake claim over someone with global recognition. In fact, recently two states; Telanga and Andhra Pradesh fought a bitter battle of words over where Olympic silver medalist, P V Sindhu. Sindhu was born in Hyderabad and lived there, Telanga claimed her as its “bidda” (kid). On the other hand, Andhra Pradesh claimed that since her parents were from Vijayawada she belongs to that state.

(ALSO READ: LIVE Mother Teresa Canonization: Pope Francis proclaims Mother Teresa a Saint at St. Peter’s Square in Vatican City)

Even on the national front, we lay claim to the success of Microsoft and Google CEOs Satya Nadela and Sundar Pichai. We’re all proud of sharing a common heritage with the big shots of the world, even though our system is regressive and discourages talent to rise. In the case of Mother Teresa, she barely received any support by the government.

If anything, Mother Teresa owes her fame to the Bengal government of the time, and partly the then-government at the centre . If there were proper and effective social programmes were in place, there wouldn’t be as many poor and depraved people to serve. Without them, Teresa would have been just another Albanian nun.