EDIT END OF MAMATA ACT ONE, WAIT FOR SECOND, THIRD…

The Mamata Banerjee tamasha is over for now, but it wouldn’t be long before she throws another tantrum and abuses the democratic process. Of course, she has a right to call her absurd dharana outside the home of the controversial Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajveev Kumar as ‘victory for democracy.’ In reality, nothing can be farther from the truth. The Supreme Court on Tuesday virtually ticked her off when it asked Kumar to present himself before the CBI for questioning in the Rs 40,000 crore chit fund scam. It was another snub to the West Bengal chief minister when it ordered that Kumar be interrogated outside the State, though the CBI was barred from arresting him till further orders. Regardless of the opposition of the ‘kleptocrats’ club, as Finance Minister Arun Jaitley described various opposition leaders who had rushed to show solidarity with Mamata, it was unclear why she was so determined to protect Kumar from being interrogated. The CBI has good reason to believe that the former head of the special investigate team set to probe the ponzi operations destroyed evidence to protect Trinamool Congress leaders who were allegedly on the pay roll of is organizers. Yes, a couple of beneficiaries of these schemes might have since joined the BJP as well, but it redounds to the credit of the Modi Sarkar that it has not prevented him to take the investigation to its logical conclusion. Mamata’s bravado actually hides her apprehension of being herself implicated in the scheme. The extraordinary drama in Kolkata with Mamata performing her official duties from the roadside undermined the dignity of the august office she holds. Worse, it showed scant regard for established norms and protocols when she sat ranting against the Centre with senior-most IPS officers sitting alongside. Why disciplinary proceedings against all of them should not be launched, instead of Kumar alone is not clear. For now, however, the Union Home Ministry, the cadre authority for the IPS, has directed the WB chief secretary to take action against Kumar under the Conduct Rules (Discipline and Appeal), 1969. Inter alia, it says that ‘no member of the Service shall be a member of, or be otherwise associated with, any political parry or organization which takes part in politics, nor shall he take part, in or subscribe in aid of, or assist in any other manner, any political movement or political party.’ Normally, Kumar’s rank misconduct should earn him immediate dismissal without all retirement benefits. But since it is for the state government to discipline him, this could become another reason for confrontation. Meanwhile, the show of solidarity put up by various opposition leaders underlines their readiness to jeopardise the democratic norms and processes for purely partisan ends. For, the CBI or any other central agency, say the income tax department, does not need to take prior permission of the State government before interrogating anyone on suspicion of an unlawful act. Wrongful raids or interrogation has a remedy in courts, not in intimidation and assault under the very nose of the chief minister by the State police.

In their rush to abuse Modi, one politician has shown some restraint and balance. Stating that he did not find anything wrong in the CBI conduct, the CPI(M) leader Sitaram Zechury pointed out that “when the judiciary orders the CBI to investigate a case, the CBI’s movement in the investigation into any state or territory cannot be construed as an attack on the authority or the powers of the state government.” But Mamata in her blindness towards the law of the land and other members of the ‘kleptocrats’ club supporting her perverse behaviour are motivated by nothing better than a visceral hatred of Modi. It is easily forgotten that the application for CBI investigation into the ponzi scams was moved in the apex court in 2013 by none other than Rahul Gandhi’s party. He has now allowed his hatred of Modi to forego any concern for the tens of millions of poor people in West Bengal, Jharkhand, Odisha, etc., who have been looted of Rs. 40,000 crores. Meanwhile, it is laudable that at least one Congress leader, Adhir Ranjan Choudhry, has shown the courage to back the CBI rather than toe the Rahul line. Another leader who has remained unmoved and tightlipped is Maya Wati in sharp contrast to her Babua who ranted against the Centre to support Mamata. Private political agendas rather than any regard for constitutionalism inform the actions of the Mahagathbandhan. This augurs ill for the health of our democracy.