Puppeteers pulled strings for BJP win!
Amidst hundreds of BJP workers and supporters, who are celebrating the party’s victory at its headquarters on Saturday, was a group of traditional artists from Kathputli Colony in the Capital who lent their support to the party during lok Sabha elections. For the folk dancers of this community, it was not only BJP’s victory but also the success of their ‘campaign’ where they exposed the Congress’ corruption, bad governance and price rise through puppetry.
Even when Ashoka Road was closed, people managed to reach the headquarters to catch a glimpse of the new PM designate — Narendra Modi — and made way for him to easily reach the party office. Hundreds of workers assembled outside the office gates as early as 9 am, while flowers and brass bands were a common sight throughout the roadshow, performers from Kathputli Colony stole the show.
Masqueraded as lions, tigers, among other animals, the bohurupees presented the tribal dance, kalbelia, bhangra and giddha. For the 250 artistes from the resettlement colony, which is up for in situ development by the Delhi Development Authority (DDA), Modi’s victory was their own victory.
“For so many years, the Congress has made fake promises. We performed to help the BJP in its campaigning as well where we raised the issues of corruption, inflation and women’s safety in front of the then incumbent Congress party. Now that they have won, we are sure Modi will take care of us,” said Raj, a tribal dance artiste. As the saffron tsunami gripped the city on Saturday, artistes travelled from nearby States like Punjab and Haryana to perform for their PM-designate. A group of school and college students reached the city at 7 am from Sonepat in Haryana to perform their traditional folk dance at Dhaula Kuan. “While we have been practicing for a while, I wanted to see Modi,” said 16-year-old Aarti Khokhar.