PURULIA/KOLKATA: Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's sometimes-serious-admonishment and sometimes-jocular "advice" to a Purulia Trinamool leader, on why he should control his "Madhya Pradesh", has had its effect in less than a day: Jhalda Municipality chairman Suresh Agarwal, whose schoolboyish pride and unease during Banerjee's "interrogation" has gone viral on social media, has given up his favourite junk food, the pakodi, and has promised his "guardian" to "walk more and exercise more".
Banerjee, during an administrative meeting with Purulia district seniors on Monday, spent a few minutes focusing on Agarwal's state of health. From his increasing waistline to enquiries about his diet and exercise regimen, nothing escaped the CM's notice as she went on prodding Agarwal to do something about his "Madhya Pradesh". The conversation happened in the presence of a few score district administrative officials and politicians and in full view of television channels that beamed the programme live on Monday afternoon, inspiring jokes, memes and tweets and prompting some doctors to stress on the underlying message behind the conversation.
"I have always been a little obese and love my fried stuff. But, yes, I know what the CM was saying was important. And I know she meant well," Agarwal told TOI on Tuesday, adding that he was "touched by Mamata Didi's concern for my well-being and focus on my health during such an important administrative meeting".
