How Montek Singh Ahluwalia saved Mamata Banerjee

A group of hooligans from left parties recently tried to attack West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee. Had it not been for the presence of mind shown by Planning Commission’s Deputy Chairperson for life Montek Singh Ahluwalia presence of mind, the West Bengal CM would have been in deeper trouble. Not only did Ahluwalia save the day but he also managed to showcase his powers to disengage any audience.

Here is how things panned out at the ill fated meeting.    
A group of protesters from Left organisations, which waited for the Trinamool Congress Chief outside the Commission's office, raised slogans against her when she arrived with West Bengal finance minister Mitra at 3:45 PM to meet Ahluwalia.

You saved me: Mamata to Ahluwalia

Banerjee, who was advised by police not to get down from her car and drive inside, however, chose to walk through the slogan-shouting and placard-wielding crowd into the building.The 65-year-old Finance Minister was pushed and jostled around as he tried to enter the Yojna Bhawan building. A woman protester thumped him twice on his chest and his kurta was torn in the melee revealing a Justin Bieber t shirt inside. The t-shirt angered the crowd even more and Mitra was literally pulled into the crowd by a few agitated members.

When Ahluwalia who was in the 3rd floor, playing angry birds, heard the commotion he immediately rushed out. The crowd by now was trying to attack Mamata Banerjee. Moving swiftly, Ahluwalia managed to place himself between the Bengal CM and the angry crowd. Switching gears he immediately started giving the crowd a random lecture.

“The issue that arises is what the financial crisis has done.  We have been talking about the shifting economic centre of gravity towards Asia.  Have things been altered by what has happened in the last two years in the industrialised world?  The answer is yes, no, maybe, couldbe, I need to ask madam etc. I think the basic supply‑driven capacity of Asia to grow rapidly is not altered.  I think we are seeing in this part of the world the result of growing human resource capacity, very deep private sector capacity, which has been unleashed virtually everywhere and also an institutional development, which is broadly supportive of market‑led growth and that has not changed,” he said.      

Before he could even take a pause, the crowd started dispersing. Some were seen running into trees and poles, completely disoriented by Ahluwalia’s speech. The crowd vanished in minutes and Ahluwalia turned his attention to the media persons who were covering the whole melee. As soon as Ahluwalia started walking towards an NDTV cameraman, he ran away, leaving his equipment behind and so did many other media folks who didn’t want to be tormented by Ahluwalia’s opinion on financial jurisprudence.

Ahluwalia then escorted Mamata Banerjee to his office. Mamata thanked Ahluwalia and assured him that if he is ever heckled in Kolkatta, the Bengal CM will park her vehicle at a strategic location to block entry of protesters.