{{short description|Bengali political slogan}} {{Hatnote|This article is on the slogan and its influences. For information on the political party, see All India Trinamool Congress}} {{Use dmy dates|date=July 2022}} {{Italic title}} [[File:Mamata Banerjee - Kolkata 2011-12-08 7542 Cropped.JPG|thumb|180px|Mamata Banerjee, former Chief Minister of West Bengal, coined the slogan.]] [[File:Begum Zia Book-opening Ceremony, 1 Mar, 2010.jpg|thumb|180px|Khaleda Zia, former Prime Minister of Bangladesh, first coined the slogan.]]
'''''Maa Mati Manush''''' ({{langx|bn|মা মাটি মানুষ}}, {{audio-nohelp|Ma Mati Manush pronunciation.ogg|pronunciation}}) is a Bengali political slogan, coined by All India Trinamool Congress chief and current Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee. The term is translated as "Mother, Motherland, and People". It became very popular in West Bengal during the 2009 General election and 2011 state assembly election. The slogan was widely used by the political party in almost all of its political and election campaigns. Original source of the slogan was traced back to Khaleda Zia of BNP, Bangladesh. She had coined this slogan as her party tagline during 1991 election in Bangladesh.
Later, Mamata Banerjee wrote a book in Bengali with the same title.<ref name="Ma Mati Manush book">{{cite web|title=Ma Mati Manush book|url=http://websys.co.in/boibangla/product_details.php?id=307|access-date=8 March 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130412225444/http://websys.co.in/boibangla/product_details.php?id=307|archive-date=12 April 2013}}</ref> Multiple Bengali theatre groups produced dramas with this slogan in the title. A song was also recorded, with the same title, to glorify the theme. According to a report published in June 2011, it was one of the six most popular political slogans in India at that time.<ref name="Six popular slogans">{{cite news | url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/slideshow_six-popular-contemporary-slogans_1570374-5#top | title=Six popular slogans | date=28 June 2011 | access-date=8 March 2013 | newspaper=DNA India}}</ref>
== History == {{Quote box |quote= With all humility, we congratulate the people of Bengal. This is the victory of the ''Maa Mati Manush of Bengal''. This is the time to celebrate for the people of Bengal. |quoted=1 |source= Mamata Banerjee after winning 2011 Assembly election of West Bengal<ref name="Mamata Banerjee: Its a victory for 'maa, maati, manush'" /> |width=30% }} This slogan was coined by All India Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee as their "war cry" before 2009 General election of India.<ref name="Mamata Banerjee: Its a victory for 'maa, maati, manush'">{{cite news | url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-05-13/news/29540222_1_mamata-banerjee-trinamool-congress-west-bengal | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120213061542/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-05-13/news/29540222_1_mamata-banerjee-trinamool-congress-west-bengal | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 February 2012 | title=Mamata Banerjee: Its a victory for 'maa, maati, manush' | date=13 May 2011 | accessdate=10 March 2013 | newspaper=Economic Times}}</ref><ref name="Mamata slogan invades stage and screen">{{cite news | url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091125/jsp/calcutta/story_11757754.jsp | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101114111453/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1091125/jsp/calcutta/story_11757754.jsp | url-status=dead | archive-date=14 November 2010 | title=Mamata slogan invades stage and screen | date=25 November 2009 | accessdate=10 March 2013 | newspaper=The Telegraph (Calcutta) | location=Calcutta, India}}</ref><ref name="Nag">{{cite book|author=Amitava Nag|title=Silhouette|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tCnv5m2PlH8C&pg=PA103|accessdate=10 March 2013|publisher=Silhouette Magazine|page=103|id=GGKEY:YZLCKEXH49Q}}</ref> and eventually became the signature slogan of Banerjee and her party. The three words of the slogan "Ma", "Mati" and "Manush" which mean "Mother", "(Mother)land" and "People" respectively were three powerful emotional elements.<ref name="Six popular slogans" />
=== Political campaigns and elections === The slogan was widely used by the political party in almost every one of their political and election campaigns; these campaigns also condemned acts under the existent government, including Nandigram violence, Singur Tata Nano controversy, land acquisition issues, death of Rizwanur Rahman, the Sachar Commission report, and even in the common daily life issues like protests against power cuts, protests against rail accidents etc.<ref name="Didi perfects the art of the impossible">{{cite news|title=Didi perfects the art of the impossible|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-03/india/28275950_1_ma-mati-manush-mamata-banerjee-trinamool-congress|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130411033027/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2010-06-03/india/28275950_1_ma-mati-manush-mamata-banerjee-trinamool-congress|url-status=dead|archive-date=11 April 2013|accessdate=10 March 2013|newspaper=The Times of India|date=3 June 2010}}</ref><ref name="Singur, Nandigram Were Way to Writers' for Mamata">{{cite news|title=Singur, Nandigram Were Way to Writers' for Mamata|url=http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=722602|accessdate=10 March 2013|newspaper=Outlook|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202162800/http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=722602|archivedate=2 February 2014}}</ref> Nandigram, Singur issues and this slogan were the main weapons of All India Trinamool Congress against the ruling Left Front government of West Bengal.<ref name="Singur, Nandigram Were Way to Writers' for Mamata" />
== Influence == This simplistic slogan had bigger impact and influence on common people than the theoretical jargons used by the Left Front parties.<ref name="Fair abuse: 'Elite' Mamata betraying her own support base?">{{cite news|title=Fair abuse: 'Elite' Mamata betraying her own support base?|url=http://news.oneindia.in/feature/2013/fair-abuse-elite-mamata-kicking-her-support-base-1144802.html|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130413021657/http://news.oneindia.in/feature/2013/fair-abuse-elite-mamata-kicking-her-support-base-1144802.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 April 2013|accessdate=10 March 2013|newspaper=One India}}</ref> According to a report published in Indian newspaper ''Daily News and Analysis'', this slogan helped "Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee virtually flatten the ruling Left Front in West Bengal Lok Sabha and civic polls".<ref name="Ma, Mati, Manush — CPM invokes Mamata’s slogan">{{cite news|title=Ma, Mati, Manush — CPM invokes Mamata’s slogan|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_ma-mati-manush-cpm-invokes-mamata-s-slogan_1394226|accessdate=8 March 2013|newspaper=DNA (News)|date=Jun 10, 2010}}</ref> After winning the assembly election Banerjee dedicated the victory to ''Ma Mati Manush''.<ref name="Green signal for Ma-Mati-Manush">{{cite news|title=Green signal for Ma-Mati-Manush|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/green-signal-for-mamatimanush/790751|accessdate=8 March 2013|newspaper=Indian Express}}</ref> According to a minister of West Bengal and also a leader of Trinamool Congress, Banerjee rode to success on this slogan and it was a "political coinage".<ref name="3M slogan out of MK speech">{{cite news|title=3M slogan out of MK speech|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120316/jsp/bengal/story_15257284.jsp#.UTwYEzeElZM|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320040606/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1120316/jsp/bengal/story_15257284.jsp#.UTwYEzeElZM|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 March 2012|accessdate=10 March 2013|newspaper=The Telegraph (Calcutta)|location=Calcutta, India|date=16 March 2012}}</ref>
== Adaptations ==
=== Book === After the slogan became popular, Mamata Banerjee published a book of poems titled ''Ma Mati Manush''. The poems of this book were mainly political in nature. The book was published by the Dey's Publishers of Kolkata.<ref name="Ma Mati Manush book" />
=== Song === A song was also recorded to glorify the theme ''Ma Mati Manush''. The song was written by Anindya Chatterjee, lead vocalist of the Bengali band Chandrabindoo, and focused on communal harmony. The first two lines of the song were– "Eta Ma Mati Manusher din. Eta Ma Mati Manusher gaan (This is the day of ''Ma Mati Manush'', It is the song of ''Ma Mati Manush'')."<ref name="'Ma Mati Manush' song at traffic intersections">{{cite news|title='Ma Mati Manush' song at traffic intersections|url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/-ma-mati-manush-song-at-traffic-intersections-112052000205_1.html|accessdate=8 March 2013}}</ref>
=== Film poster === In 2009, the slogan was used in the posters of Bengali film ''Krishna''. Shankar Roy, the director of the film told in an interview– "Yes, we were inspired by Trinamool’s slogan, which for us means revolt against corruption".<ref name="Mamata slogan invades stage and screen" />
=== Theatre === The popularity of the slogan gave rise to a number of jatras (street plays) as well.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/it-s-maa-mati-manush-and-mamata-for-bengal-s-theatre-groups/477960 | title=It’s maa, mati, manush and Mamata for Bengal’s theatre groups | work=indianexpress.com | date=18 June 2009 | accessdate=March 11, 2013 | author=Bandyopadhyay, Mouparna}}</ref> In 2009, Uttam Opera of West Bengal staged a jatra titled ''Ma Mati Manush Kadche... Agnikanya Aschhe''. In the same year, Shilpilok Opera staged another ''jatra,'' named ''Ma Matir Lorai''.<ref name="Mamata slogan invades stage and screen" />
=== Political magazine === In February 2011, Trinamool Congress launched their party magazine ''Ma Mati Manush'' and attempted to reach as many people as possible through the magazine. This magazine was also a "brainchild" of Mamata Banerjee. The chief editor of the magazine was Subrata Bakshi who was at that time a legislator of the state too.<ref name="Party unveils Ma-Mati-Manush">{{cite news|title=Party unveils Ma-Mati-Manush|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/party-unveils-mamatimanush/752651|accessdate=10 March 2013|newspaper=Indian Express}}</ref>
== Criticism == * Ex-Chief Minister of West Bengal and senior political leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) called the slogan a ''jatra''. Incidentally a play with the same title was written in the 1970s when Communist Party of India defeated Indian National Congress in West Bengal.<ref name="Six popular slogans" /> * In April 2011, West Bengal's communist party politician Gautam Deb complained that Banerjee "stole" this slogan from Bangladesh. He said the same slogan was coined and widely used by Begum Khaleda Zia and her political party Bangladesh Nationalist Party in the 1991 general election of Bangladesh.<ref name="From Bangladesh">{{cite news|title=Briefs|url=http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=367031&catid=73|accessdate=10 March 2013|newspaper=The Statesman|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130413232924/http://www.thestatesman.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=367031&catid=73|archivedate=13 April 2013}}</ref>
== References == {{reflist|30em}}
== External links == * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130305183104/https://aitmc.org/ All India Trinamool Congress] — Official website
Category:Indian political slogans Category:Indian general election campaigns Category:Trinamool Congress Category:Politics of West Bengal Category:Bengali words and phrases Category:Mamata Banerjee