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Prices of Mamata Banerjee's paintings have surged from Rs 10,000 in 2005 to Rs 3 lakh in 2013.
An official statement from Trinamool Congress, aimed at dispelling the buzz about the alleged sale of a single painting at Rs 1.8 crore to Saradha promoter, Sudipta Sen, said that not a paisa from the sale of her paintings had gone into her personal account.
"She has donated her paintings to the Trinamool Congress, which in turn, has hosted public exhibitions under the umbrella of Jago Bangla, the official newspaper of the party. At these exhibitions, some of her paintings have been sold but the proceeds have never gone to her," the statement issued by Derek O'Brien, national spokesperson and chief whip of TMC, read.
TMC today gave the official prices of Banerjee's paintings. Banerjee's first exhibition was held in 2005, where the paintings were priced at Rs 10,000-20,000, according to the statement. At the second exhibition held in 2007, paintings were priced at roughly Rs 1,00,000.
"From the proceeds of these and subsequent exhibitions/sales, contributions of Rs 1 crore were made to the Chief Minister's Relief Fund, Rs 10 lakh to the Governor's Relief Fund. Assistance was also provided to the victims of police and CPI(M) brutality in Nandigram and other places," the TMC statement explained.
The third exhibition was held in 2011. Artworks apart, 1,27,000 picture postcards and 10,000 catalogues were sold at Gallerie 88 in Kolkata. The paintings were priced by the organisers, Jago Bangla, at Rs 2-3 lakh. Jago Bangla gave some of these proceeds to charity and the rest to TMC candidates for the upcoming assembly election.
In October 2012, one painting was donated for an annual auction in New York for the benefit of Children's Hope India. The painting was sold for Rs 1.39 lakh to Sundaram Tagore Gallery.
The fourth exhibition was held in January 2013. Paintings at the annexe building of the Kolkata Town Hall and were priced at Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh.
Observers pointed out that prices of paintings have moved in tandem with Banerjee's political career. In 2005 when she held her first exhibition, paintings were priced Rs 10,000 and Rs 20,000. In 2006, the TMC, however, cut a sorry figure in the assembly elections with just 29 seats of 294. But thereafter, Left's excesses at Singur and Nandigram resurrected her career.
Banerjee's second exhibition was held in 2007. The paintings were priced at Rs 1,00,000. The third exhibition was held in 2011 just before the assembly elections.
The paintings, priced at Rs 2-3 lakh, were a big hit with Bengal's industrialists. The fourth exhibition and her first as West Bengal Chief Minister was held in 2013 and was priced at Rs 3 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and Rs 1.5 lakh.
Brushing aside all allegations about the sale of Banerjee's paintings, the TMC said, "Art exhibitions are open to all. The sale of paintings is an innovative and honest means of raising funds for a political party and for political and social activism. There was and is nothing cloak and dagger about these transactions."
