Chief minister Mamata Banerjee, who had already announced that she would not travel in an official bullet proof car, on Saturday again proved that she was a “common person” by insisting on following traffic rules like other citizens. She has asked the police department not to bring the entire traffic to a halt from wherever his car passes.
While going to the Writers’ Buildings from her Kalighat home, traffic was stopped to near the Calcutta Race Course to allow Ms Banerjee’s car to zip past. She got very upset at this special treatment and gave the traffic officer a piece of her mind, making it clear that she would commute like any other Kolkatans: stopping at red signals and following all other traffic rules.
She has also refused to accept the services of siren-blaring motorcycle outriders.
“We were pleasantly surprised to see Didi’s car also waiting for the green light just like ours. No wonder she rules over the people’s heart,” Nasim Khan, a trader whose car was behind Ms Banerjee’s vehicle said. On Saturday, she also declined to use the VIP lift in the state secretariat and instead took the lift used by every body else.