Kolkata: The city took a brief pause on Wednesday — not for a rally but for a courtroom proceeding. As chief minister Mamata Banerjee presented her case on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) before the Supreme Court, thousands across the city — from people waiting in SIR queues to booth-level officers, students and club-goers — glued to live telecasts as their everyday struggles found a voice inside the country's highest court.
When Sayantan Chakraborty of Tangra first read in the morning newspaper on Wednesday about CM Mamata Banerjee presenting her case in the Supreme Court, he felt an "instant connection". "I spent over four hours in the queue on Monday after an error in the spelling of my father's name. My wife, too, stood in the same line a few days ago, but her matter is not resolved. She was asked to furnish some more documents by my BLO and AERO. On Wednesday, I took a break from work and was at the Ward 57 camp when I saw the party workers switching on the live-streaming. Curious, I started following the court proceedings. When I heard Didi talking about people like us, I felt assured that at least someone understands us," said Chakraborty.
Thousands across the city on Wednesday — among them those who were forced to spend hours in SIR queues, including a large number of women — watched the CM speak at the Supreme Court, some through live telecasts, others on social media. The enthusiasm was palpable from as early as 11 am, when multiple para clubs reported groups assembling in front of television sets and switching on news channels. As it started streaming live, several shared updates on smartphones, sharing clips and summaries through WhatsApp groups.
At several Trinamool party offices, workers arranged chairs and loudspeakers, treating the court proceedings and Banerjee's statements as a collective viewing event. "She spoke in the language we understand, a language where there was empathy for us. Whether I believe in her politics is not important here. What set Wednesday apart was her effort to try and summarise our ordeals before the highest court of law," said Shreya Roy, a political science professor.
In Kidderpore, BLO Dayaram Jaiswara was in the middle of hearings when he received a message from a fellow BLO stating that Banerjee was making her submissions in the Supreme Court. "I finished the hearings and quickly walked down to the local club to catch the action. The way she projected our issues shows she did her homework well," said Jaiswara.
Gaurav Poddar from South Canal Road, a law student, said the CM's submission was also an example of how to make an "argument concise yet extremely effective". "She managed to cover every stratum of society who is presently suffering in the SIR," said Poddar.
The BLOs protesting at Dalhousie said they kept an eye on their mobile phones all through the afternoon. "If she returns to Delhi on Monday for the next Monday, we will be putting up a large screen here for live-streaming. We had our expectations, and our head of state lived every bit of it," said Tanushree Modak, one of the familiar faces of the protest.
At a neighbourhood club, Shakti Sangha in Behala, members said they met for weeks to discuss the case and the political stakes on SIR, but the CM's submission changed "several equations". "People who were standing in line for ‘SIR' are now furiously sharing updates," a club organiser said, referring to the slogan used by supporters during recent mobilisation.
At Kasaripara in Bhowanipore and Satpukur in Sinthee, residents said tea stalls and small shops became informal viewing points, with customers pausing to watch short segments on phones when television coverage was interrupted. In some homes, families gathered around a single handset to follow live blogs and televised panels, replaying Banerjee's remarks and debating the legal points.