West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who is on a four-day long visit to Delhi, on Thursday, 29 July, met lyricist-poet Javed Akhtar and wife, actor Shabana Azmi.
The Trinamool Congress supremo has asked Akhtar to write a song on "Khela Hobe," her poll slogan, news agency ANI reported.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, Akhtar said that Banerjee did not state that leadership is her priority, but that she wants parivartan.
"She believes that she wants a parivartan. Earlier she fought for Bengal and now she wants to fight for a change in India. Who will lead the country is not important but how the Hindustan will be that is most important. Democracy is dynamic and constant in process," Akhtar told reporters, according to ANI.
Asked if the "Khela Hobe" slogan would resonare in India, Akhtar said, "It does not need proof. It is beyond discussion now."
Immediately after this, Banerjee, who was present at the briefing to reporters, asked Akhtar to compose a song on the slogan.
"You have to make a song on Khela Hobe," she told him in front of mediapersons, reported ANI.
About the meeting, the lyricist-poet said that it was "courteous"and added that both he and Azmi congratulated Banerjee on her victory in the West Bengal Assembly polls.
"We are grateful to Mamata ji for her support in the amendment in the Royalty Bill so that music composers, songwriters, lyricists can be benefitted from the royalty," he added.
Banerjee, who has been in the national capital since Monday, has been meeting several politicians, possibly for the aim of forming up a united Opposition ahead of the 2024 general elections.
On Thursday, she met DMK MP Kanimozhi as well as Minister of Road Transport Nitin Gadkari, while on Wednesday she had met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, as well Congress Interim President Sonia Gandhi and party leader Rahul Gandhi.
(With inputs from ANI.)
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