'If she manages to throw out people, go for surgical operations, clean up her image, she will be victorious.'
After a distinguished career as a bureaucrat, three years ago Jawhar Sircar stepped into the world of politics.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee appointed him her party, the Trinamool Congress' member of the Rajya Sabha.
Disenchanted with the murky world of politics, 72-year-old Sircar resigned two years before his term ends.
"I would blame yes men bureaucrats for misguiding her. You see a senior bureaucrat is like a doctor. He has to tell the patient what is good for him. If the patient is a diabetic, he can't say please have sugar," Jawhar Sircar tells Rediff.com Senior Contributor Payal Singh Mohanka.
The final segment of an Exclusive multi-part interview:
- Part 1 of the Interview: 'Mamata Was Being Misled By The Bureaucracy'
- Part 2 of the Interview: 'Mamata Should Have Done Something Else'
You blame bureaucrats, but what about Didi's own common sense and political wisdom?
That takes leave. I would blame yes men bureaucrats for misguiding her. You see a senior bureaucrat is like a doctor. He has to tell the patient what is good for him.
If the patient is a diabetic and enjoys sugar, he can't say please have sugar. He will say stay away from sugar and will advise karela juice.
It's a bureaucrat's sacred duty to come up with the truth and face the consequences.
And show the mirror?
Yes, absolutely. Sadly most of them choose to be in their leader's good books. Most of them do better than I do.
They get perks, houses, lots of good things, they are more agreeable people, more pleasant. But you are not here on a PR drive. Bureaucracy is not a PR drive!
The reaction of younger TMC MPs has been very disappointing.
These MPs were tripping over themselves to defend the indefensible like construction work near the site of the crime within hours of a brutal rape and murder!.
An MP who will stand in Parliament and tell us about the 'loss of her uterus' should feel some empathy for the victim's parents who have lost their whole world, their only child who laboured hard to fulfill her dreams of becoming a doctor!
She did it her way. It was noticed by many and not in a proper light.
Another lady MP from the TMC believes women politicians are being targeted. Isn't this ridiculous?
They were on a defensive mode. Some go defence defence. Some do offence defence. That's all.
The accused Sanjoy Roy is a 'civic volunteer'. Civic volunteers are essentially TMC cadre.
There are 60,000 at Kolkata's 70 police stations and close to 200,000 at police stations all over the state.
Originally inducted for traffic and crowd management, it is believed they have now taken over law and order.
A former senior police officer says these 'civic volunteers' are now beyond Didi's control.
I have heard. If this is true, it's not good. They replaced the Home Guards of the previous regime.
I am told that many of them are close to the ruling party and much of the swagger of say someone like Sanjoy Roy, who's the prime suspect in the rape case, was due to his proximity with the powers that be. Basically, the rot runs deep.
The lane leading to the chief minister's residence in Kalighat in South Kolkata has a formidable barricade, the likes of which has never been seen before.
Have enraged students and events in her neighbourhood rattled her?
For a moment it looked similar, but it wasn't that. There have been attempts in the recent past to reach her house.
Every time something happens, we hear they are moving to her house. This sort of thing you can't even think of doing in Delhi.
The protests here have to be seen in the light of how they would be viewed in other states.
In Lucknow they would last for 15 minutes. Tolerance towards agitation is much more here. Traditionally, Bengal gives space to discontent and its expression.
While the state still seethes with anger, the CM wants us to focus on the 'utsab'.
Now that talks with the agitating doctors have taken place, there should be a change. Durga Puja is the main festival of the state.
This time because of the profound impact of this case many of the pandals would have this as their main theme.
This tradition of topicality will ensure that public anger is retained.
Do you think this is the beginning of the end for Didi?
No, I don't think so. See her base may erode a bit here and there. One week is a long time in politics.
One-and-a-half years is a long, long, time. If she manages to throw out people, go for surgical operations, clean up her image, after all she has learnt a lesson, she will be victorious.
And what are your plans now?
Write and fight.
I believe you have been approached by more than one political party including the one at the Centre.
Not like that. People from all parties keep saying you should be with us. That sort of thing. But that's neither here nor there.
I have got calls from all parties saying you should not leave, if you are leaving, why not be with us.
These are Delhi pleasantries, 'We must meet sometime!' We must meet sometime means nothing!
You won't give it any thought?
No, no. Main rajneeti chhod raha hoon, neeti nahi chhodunga. I will leave politics, I won't leave my ideology. Politics is not for me, mere bas ka nahin hai.
May your fight continue. The gruesome RG Kar case is affecting the mental health of the state.
We pray that the victim gets justice and the real culprits are nabbed.
The CBI will surely get to the bottom of it. It won't spare anyone.
Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff.com
