The women wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party marked the ‘Bhai Phonta’ festival in the district party office at Golapatty under the English Bazaar police station here today.
According to the wing members, the idea was to renew and rejuvenate the bonding between brothers and sisters.
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Over 100 men, including MP, North Malda, Khagen Murmu, and district president of the party Gobinda Mandal were given ‘Bhai phonta’ on their foreheads by the BJP Mahila Morcha activists.
According to party leaders present there, the power of women had been reduced in the state and that they were not safe.
“As the sisters pray for the safety and long life of their brothers on this day, the programme also aimed at rejuvenating the power of our sisters,” a party leader said.
“Women in the state have been facing crimes against them and there is a bid to create a bridge among brothers and sisters of the state. Women are being deprived of their rights. BJP Mahila Morcha organised this programme with a view to restoring the eternal bonding between brothers and sisters,” Mr Murmu said.
Antara Champati, a Mahila Morcha leader, said they prayed for good health of “our brothers and a sweet relationship with the sisters.”
On the other hand, in an unconnected event, former students of the AC Institution of English Bazaar organised a ‘Bhai phonta’ programme in the red light area of the town. Maintaining corona protocols, hundreds of women there put the ‘phonta’ on the former students. According to the women there, they live away from their homes and felt lonely this day, “Such programme always gives us solace and peace,” one woman there said.
Ujjwal Saha, a member of the former students’ association, said, “We come here for this every year to include the women here in the festivities. We gave them sweets and gifts after the Bhai phonta.”