From Patna Street in Trinidad and Tobago, PM's subtle Bihar poll push

The distance may be over 15,000 km but Trinidad and Tobago resembled more of Bihar as Prime Minister Narendra Modi landed in the tiny Caribbean country on Friday. Bhojpuri chautaal (folk song), dhol beats, and 38 ministers dressed in Indian attire, including a Prime Minister with roots in Bihar, welcomed PM Modi in a grand spectacle.

It was a cultural connect like no other, and the optics were a perfect setting with the Bihar elections just months away.

In the tiny island nation that has a population of just 13 lakh, less than even Goa, over 45% are of Indian origin, mostly from Bhojpuri-speaking districts in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Most of their ancestors came as indentured labourers from colonial India and settled here.

These facts, however, were not lost on the Prime Minister, who used the country's Bihar connection to appeal to the Biharis back home.

While it is not known if he travelled to the community event venue via Trinidad and Tobago's famous Patna Street (yes, the nation has a street named Patna), he made it a point to mention it during his address.

"Banaras, Patna, Kolkata, and Delhi may be cities in India, but there are also names of streets here," PM Modi said.

'BIHAR KI BETI'

However, the glue was the nation's Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar. The name "Kamla" in a Caribbean nation would have piqued the interest of many. It is not known to many that she traces her ancestral roots to Bihar's Buxar district.

It was touched upon by the Prime Minister during his address at a community event in Port of Spain. With PM Kamla by his side, Modi called her "Bihar ki Beti (the daughter of Bihar)" and hailed her achievement - a subtle message to the women voters in the state.

"The ancestors of PM Kamla were from Bihar's Buxar. She has also visited the place. People consider her the daughter of Bihar," PM Modi said.

Ram Lakhan Mishra, a native of Bhelpur village in Buxar, migrated to Trinidad and Tobago in 1889 as a labourer and settled there. Kamla Persad, one of his descendants, became the first woman prime minister of the nation a century later in 2018.

PM INVOKES BIHAR PRIDE

With the event being attended by a large number of people of Indian origin, many with ancestral roots in Bihar, the Prime Minister invoked the state's rich heritage, calling it a source of pride not just for India, but for the entire world.

"Bihar's heritage is the pride of India and the world. The state has shown the way to the world in various fields like democracy, politics, and diplomacy for centuries. New opportunities will emerge from Bihar in the 21st century," PM Modi further said.

The fact that Bihar is a significant source of migrants, both within India and internationally, was also not lost upon the Prime Minister.

Praising the journey of the Indian community in Trinidad and Tobago, PM Modi said, "They left their soil but not their soul. They were not just migrants, they were messengers of a timeless civilisation."

In a way, with the remarks, he tactfully hailed the indomitable spirit of Bihari migrants - who leave their state for work but take pride in their roots.

Before signing off, the Prime Minister had a gift for the Indian diaspora. Sixth-generation members of Indian-origin citizens will now be eligible for Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. This will allow them to live and work in India.

DINNER ON SOHARI LEAVES

Later, the Prime Minister also shared pictures from a dinner event with his Trinidad and Tobago counterpart. However, what was unique was not just the menu, but how it was served - on Sohari leaves.

Here too, there is a Bihar connect. In Bihar, food is traditionally served on sal leaves or banana leaves.

The term Sohari has roots in the Bhojpuri language, meaning "food for the gods". The leaves are common at religious gatherings in Bihar.

The political messaging was subtle. It remains to be seen if it transcends to a bigger impact in the Bihar poll arena.

- Ends

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