It is still not too late!

Two important Trinamool party functionaries have been taken under interrogatory custody. Partha Chatterjee, the General Secretary and Minister for Commerce & Industries, besides many other portfolios both in the party and the government, allegedly parked huge cash, and assets in his accomplice’s flats in several places. The evidence is clinching, and the minister may have no scope to evade serving a sentence.

The second, Anubrata Mondal, popularly known as Kesto, the President of the Birbhum District Trinamool party, is another rural heavyweight and allegedly is embroiled in many scams, from pilfering coal to smuggling cattle. The election commission often kept him in his house’s confines during elections, reacting to his open threats to political opponents. His importance to his party comes to light only after his arrest.

The Trinamool party leadership has distanced itself from the minister after his arrest and seizure of several crores of assets. However, in the case of Mondal, it has been confusion galore in Trinamool. The suspension of an experienced party spokesperson, Kunal Ghosh (out on bail after being imprisoned for two years and ten months in scam-related custody), is badly felt now. He had vented against Partha in a manner unapproved by the high command, as Partha was close to Mamata.

The explanations of their party’s stand by the later spokespersons of Trinamool were laughable when they repeated a ‘zero-tolerance’ for corruption and criminals in their party. The zero may have moved from its place yesterday, when the ultimate voice of the party, Mamata Banerjee, asserted that Kesto had done nothing wrong and that if one Kesto was arrested, a lakh Kestos would be born. Didi must know the ‘borderline of her role as a party leader, and a constitutional authority as a Chief Minister of a State. Didi’s supportive stand was a cue for the confused party members, who believe in invincibility against threats from any central agencies while in Didi’s domain. 

That was enough signal as leaders took the mics and threatened all those who criticized their party. A senior member of parliament went a step further, threatening to skin the critics and make footwear from the flayed skin. There is no remorse or apology from the leader.

There is another announcement that the Trinamool party would begin a mass movement, protesting against the targeted attack on its leaders. The move is dangerous in a democracy like ours. We had witnessed the paralyzing of some pockets of Delhi and elsewhere when the ED summoned the members of the Gandhi family. People were out on the streets as if the country was back in our freedom fight against the British. The idea of street protests against lawful, court-directed arrests and investigations is pitiful and devoid of logic.

If the arrests and later custody are under the directions of Courts, the State must move the Supreme Court to vacate such aggrieved orders. However, the huge piles of cash, assets and properties from Partha and his accomplice may thwart any such self-embarrassing action. In the case of Kesto, the fear, it seems, arises out of his breaking down during the interrogation and spilling the beans, revealing the hidden beneficiaries of huge wealth.

I firmly believe in Didi’s ability of converting challenges into opportunities. But can she, this time? I hope and pray that the floating names of more important leaders are merely rumours.

Jai Hind.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix