Mamata ‘congratulates’ Amit Shah for Jay Shah’s appointment as ICC chief

Kolkata: In a subtle dig targeted at Amit Shah, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday shared a post on X congratulating the union Home minister for his son Jay Shah’s appointment as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The post has created a ripple on social media, not only as the Trinamool Congress chief addressed it to the home minister instead of directly congratulating Jay Shah for his appointment as ICC chief, but also because she took a subtle jibe by saying that Amit Shah’s son, despite not being a politician, has become more important than any politician.

“Congratulations, Union Home Minister!! Your son has not become a politician, but has become the ICC Chairman — a post much much more important than most politicians,” Chief Minister Banerjee wrote on X.

“Your son has indeed become very very powerful and I congratulate you on his most elevated achievement indeed! Kudos!!” she added.

Political observers feel that from the language of the message, it is difficult to judge whether it was a congratulatory note or a subtle jibe at the home minister.

On August 27, Jay Shah was elected unopposed as the next Independent Chair of the International Cricket Council (ICC) replacing Greg Barclay.

Shah, who has been serving as the Secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) since October 2019, and as Chair of the Asian Cricket Council since January 2021, will assume the prestigious role on December 1.

Banerjee’s post is assuming importance as it came at a time when the West Bengal government led by Banerjee is drawing flak from all corners, including top BJP leaders, for the ghastly rape and murder of a junior doctor at the state-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata earlier this month.

On Thursday itself, a lawyer practising in the Supreme Court filed a complaint with Delhi Police against Banerjee over her ‘provocative’ remarks wherein she reportedly warned that other states might witness violence and unrest if attempts were made to create trouble in Bengal.  

Addressing an event to mark the foundation day of Trinamool Chhatra Parishad (TMCP), the students’ wing of Trinamool Congress, on Wednesday, Banerjee said, “Modi babu, you are trying to create unrest in Bengal through your people. But remember, if you burn Bengal, Assam, Northeast, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, and Delhi will burn too.”

According to advocate Vineet Jindal, the complainant, the Trinamool chief’s remarks were inflammatory with the potential of inciting regional hatred and enmity, thus posing a threat to national harmony and public order as a whole.