Exclusive: TMC MLA Babul Supriyo calls PM Modi ‘autocratic’, hails Mamata Di’s compassion

In a candid conversation with News9’s Biplob Ghosal, Trinamool Congress MLA Babul Supriyo spoke about his party’s prospects in the Lok Sabha Election. Supriyo also shared his views on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the difference between both the parties in terms of work culture.

Biplob: What do you have to say about the corruption charges against TMC leaders like Partha Chatterjee?

Babul Supriyo: The party has made it amply clear that if any leader is engaged in a misdeed, it will take action against the individual. The party has taken appropriate steps and I request the BJP to do the same as it has several leaders, who are facing corruption charges of Rs 50,000-60,000 crore, and they have been welcomed into the party. It’s documented now that out of 25 such super-corrupt leaders who joined the BJP, nothing has been done against 23 of them and their cases have been shoved under the carpet. Some of them have also been been made CMs & Dy CMs … it’s brazenly shameful. So Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji has no moral ground to talk about corruption. While I agree that some amount of corruption exists in all parties because our political structure has been designed that way unfortunately, but without doubt, BJP is now the most corrupt party in the country and while the central agencies have been put on an overdrive to harass the opposition leaders, BJP has made it amply clear that if the same corrupt leaders join them, they will be kept safe and cleaned in their, now infamous, ‘Washing Machine and that’s a true ‘Modi Ki Guarantee’.

Biplob: You have been associated with the BJP and TMC, both. What is the difference between the two parties?

Babul Supriyo: I found that the BJP doesn’t has the love for Bengalis and they treat everyone like bonded a labourer. Be it the National Organisational Secretary BL Santoshji, Kailash Vijaybargiya, Dilip Ghosh and others, I have always hit back and reminded them not to speak to me in the manner they assume they can speak to anyone. I remember leaving Mahajati Sadan without attending a meeting by Amit Shahji because he very rudely pushed me aside when I tried to assist him while lightening the lamp in front of Gurudev Tagore’s portrait. This incident was widely shown in media and I was brutally trolled for it. I reiterate that I am open to being reprimanded by senior leaders for an inadvertent mistake because I wish to learn, but I am not the one who would tolerate humiliation or ill-treatment because I work very hard and haven’t committed any misdemeanour with public money. I left BJP because they denied me what I deserved and anyone who stops me on my way just to stamp their authority can’t be my well-wisher. BJP is led by cruel heartless leaders, whereas Mamata Banerjee leads TMC with a heart and with compassion. She is stern and strict when she needs to be, but even if she scolds you, in most cases she speaks to you and tells where you have gone wrong, that makes you feel wanted and apart from helping you learn what exactly she is expecting from you, but also bolsters your confidence. You feel you are a part of her extended family. I felt so angered and humiliated by the unfair treatment BJP meted out to me that apart from leaving BJP and the MP seat I won twice in Asansol, I also decided to leave politics as well – retired hurt! I am not the one who would sell my spine to BJP or turn myself into a so-called ‘Bhakt’ – a mentality aptly displayed by senior BJP leader and national spokesperson Sambit Patra when he disgracefully said that Lord JagannathDev is a Bhakt of Modiji! One has to be a sycophant to survive in BJP.

I was utterly overwhelmed when Didi and TMC MP Abhishek Banerjee fondly acknowledged my work for Bengal and asked me to continue serving the people of the state which I am now doing under her leadership. I am very happy and content with the very futuristic ministries she gave me. Unlike Modiji, she has also encouraged me to get back to singing full-fledged, my passion and first love.

Biplob: Mamata Banerjee said that her government will not accept the Calcutta High Court order scrapping OBC status of several classes in West Bengal. What’s your take?

Babul Supriyo: The West Bengal government has every right to appeal against this ruling in the Supreme Court. And let’s be honest, the BJP has set bad precedents by contacting with a sitting Calcutta High Court judge Abhijit Gangopadhyay and assured him a MP seat resulting in his resignation from the judge’s post; gifting a Rajya Sabha seat to a former Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi who ruled in favour is the BJP government in a couple of very important cases, appointment of another ex-SC judge to the post of Governor in Tamil Nadu, has surely made people skeptical about some judgments and has cast a shadow over our judiciary. Hence, the state is just exercising its right and CM Mamata Banerjee has already said that Bengal government will fight against the high court judgement in the apex court.

Biplob: The BJP accuses TMC of indulging in Muslim appeasement. What do you have to say on this?

Babul Supriyo: I don’t want to comment as when I was in the BJP, I made some remarks as I had to toe the party’s line. In a country like India, it does not suit PM and other BJP leaders to make comments like ‘Muslims ke kitne bacche hote hain’ or ‘OBCs ka quota Muslims ko de denge’.

Every religion must enjoy equal rights in every sense of the matter. The BJP openly plays communal card but Mamata ‘didi’ doesn’t indulge in that kind of politics. While TMC is inclusive, BJP is brazenly divisive.

Biplob: If the opposition parties win a significant number of Lok Sabha seats, do you think INDIA bloc can come together as in Bengal, TMC itself is contesting against Congress.

Babul Supriyo: You have to see Bengal differently. In the country, it’s like there are two Congress – one is Indian National Congress (INC), the another is Adhir Chowhury’s Congress (ACC) in Bengal. In the past also coalition governments have been formed and they have worked well by adopting the Common Minimum Programme, it’s surely not an impossibility this time too.

Biplob: How many seats is the TMC hoping to win in Lok Sabha election?

Babul Supriyo: I don’t wish to get into a number game given the fact it is indeed a very complex election with multiple layers to it. However, I am convinced that the BJP will do much worse in West Bengal compared to what they did in 2019. Their seat share will come down substantially compared to 2019.