West Bengal Elections 2016: Will be in politics till we can drive Mamata out, says Chandra Bose

What are your expectations from this election?

This is basically a fight to establish some kind of order into governance. In 2011, people of Bengal voted for a change. The Left front was there for 34 long years. In the initial years, the first 10 especially from 1977-87, they did some work in the rural areas. The panchayat system that was brought in by the Congress was implemented by the Left front in the districts. However, the cities were completely neglected, especially Kolkata. During, the last five years of their rule, Left front workers would terrorise people for votes and there was resentment among the masses.

Mamata Banerjee took advantage of this situation. She formed TMC in 1998 and she has been working hard at the grassroot level. She has been a rabble-rouser. She could connect with the masses because of the way she speaks, and people, especially the downtrodden, in rural areas, could connect with her. They brought in TMC hoping for a change.
But Mamata’s contribution ended with the removal of Left. She did not have the capability or she was not really interested in governance. The main concern of TMC is to stay in power by hook or crook. She promised investments in the state because during the Left regime there was complete stagnation. The CPI(M) and the Left unions and the kind of work culture they brought about made corporate houses stay away from Bengal. That trend worsened under TMC. Dunlop, which used to operate in a couple of shifts during the Left, have practically closed shop. The entire jute industry is closed. The tea gardens in North Bengal are in a disarray, the workers are starving to death. 

It is highly unfortunate that Tata Motors could not come and set up their factory. 80% of the work had been completed in Singur, they should have been allowed to set up their factory. Singur would have been the Jamshedpur of Bengal. And it is not just the Tata factory, but hundreds of ancillary firms, which could have been set up centred around Tata Motors. The entire area would have become prosperous.

Mamata Banerjee should have realised, once the land is acquired for industrial work, the same land cannot be returned to farmers for cultivation. It is concretised. Only about 30% of the farmers were not willing to give the land. Nowhere in the world would you get 100% support in such matters. If 70% farmers were ready, negotiations could have been done with the remaining 30%. They should have been persuaded. Instead of that, a political movement was raised by the TMC, misguiding the farmers of Singur, which is a graveyard today. The factory has gone to Gujarat. West Bengal’s loss is Gujarat’s gain.

Your criticism of Mamata may be right but the fight currently seems between TMC and the alliance between Congress and Left. Hence the question, what are your expectations from the elections and what would be a satisfactory performance for the BJP?

West Bengal has seen the Congress government prior to 1977, then the long tenure of Left and now the misrule of TMC for the last five years. BJP has not got an opportunity in Bengal. BJP was not very keen on Bengal in the past but now BJP is very serious about it. It is BJP’s turn now. When I campaign in Bhawanipore area and elsewhere in Bengal, people would like to give a chance to the BJP and see our performance in the next five years. I feel, if we have a free and fair election, if our supporters are allowed to vote, we have a fairly good chance of forming the government.

You mentioned Bhawanipore, which is your constituency and the TMC’s candidate from there is Mamata Banerjee. Do you think you stand a chance of beating the Chief Minister?

Mamata Banerjee has become the CM by default. She is not really considered the CM of West Bengal. She took the opportunity of the disillusionment with the Left and came to power. But today, the CM’s position in West Bengal is vacant. She has established herself as the CM of syndicate raj, which operates in Kolkata and Bengal. I explain TMC as a congregation of criminals, hoodlums and opportunists, who have assembled to gain power, to self-aggrandise.

The flyover collapse, Saradha scam, Narada sting, have appeared in quick successions and they would certainly influence the voters. Mamata would lose all her seats in Kolkata, if the voters are allowed. I say that because, to give an example, I could not find an office space in Bhawanipore area. I am operating from a cramped office where only six people can sit. TMC goons are threatening voters in the constituency and South Kolkata.

It seems you are laying a foundation to cry foul. The election commission has been taking all the necessary precautions. Are you saying they are not as strong in the city?

The Election Commission has to be strong. Central forces should be fully alert. If the TMC goons can be kept at bay, then I think BJP has a fairly good chance in Kolkata seats. And in Bengal, there would be many surprises. I do not want to give a number because that would be guesswork.

Why are you contesting against Mamata? You should have chosen a seat where your chances were better. You could have at least gone into the assembly.

My idea is not to become an MLA. My idea is to fight injustice. I do not consider her the CM of Bengal. She should be driven out of West Bengal so the state can be saved. These are strong words but it is not me, the people of Bhawanipore have said that we are from a civil society, so we would not physically drive her out. We will do it at the ballot box.

What attracted you towards the BJP? Rather, how did the BJP convince you to join politics?

I am born into the family of Subhash Chandra Bose. Netaji was one of the first nationalists of India. And today, BJP stands for that nationalism. I find Narendra Modi ji a pragmatist. Subhash Chandra Bose, too, was a pragmatist. A lot of people say Netaji was a fascist. He was pro-Japan. It is not true. He was a pragmatist. He realised, at that juncture, you need the help of Germany to liberate India. Similarly, he took the help of Japan when he went to South East Asia. Because that was the most practical thing to do. Similarly, Modi is very flexible. Here is a leader of 21st century India who believes in development. Subhash Bose believed in modern science, technology and development. He was progressive. So is Modi ji. Also, Modi is inclusive. Netaji too was very inclusive. 

But that is the biggest charge against the BJP, that they are alienating the minorities.

There are fringe elements in all parties, which must be contained. Religion is a personal issue. I feel politics and religion should not be mixed up. But, unfortunately, it does not happen. Congress party is the first party to bring religion into politics. Similarly, casteism has come into politics. Because once religion comes in, casteism follows. We must alienate religion from politics. And Modi is a leader who would like to respect all religions.

You mentioned fringe elements. These fringe elements are in your cabinet and they do not seem to be respecting other religions.

India is a diverse nation. And BJP is a national party, where you have people from all walks of life. India is a democratic country and you have free speech. Sometimes, certain people hoist their opinions and arguments. But I feel India is an inclusive country. That was Subhash Bose’s idea of India and today BJP has accepted Subhash Bose’s ideology as its own.

Netaji was the strongest possible socialist voice in Congress. How can BJP and Subhash Bose’s ideology be the same?

Netaji was a socialist in the sense that he wanted to have his own Indian way of socialism and development. He never accepted the import of ideologies from abroad. But today, BJP is a party which believes in pragmatism. There is nothing known as a left, right or socialist ideology anymore. In 21st century India, it is time for political parties to practice pragmatism. This is a misconception spread by opposition, that BJP is communal or right wing. BJP has evolved into a party which believes in working with all communities.

I have read fair bit of Netaji and the most striking criticism by him was reserved for communism and Hindutva. I am pretty sure some of the statements by your party leaders would have disgusted him. How can the BJP, then, appropriate Netaji and, more so, you join the BJP?

The concept of the staunch Hindutva is not what the BJP stands for.

Apart from the fact that many of statements made by BJP leaders suggest otherwise, the allegiance to the RSS is well-known and one cannot say RSS does not stand for Hindutva.

BJP and RSS are separate organisations. You cannot say the BJP falls under the umbrella of RSS. But yes, there are people in BJP who have come from RSS. That is history now. They have evolved into a different political being joining the BJP. Hindutva does not mean you are against other religions. Hindutva respects other religions. It is a propaganda spread by Congress. Today, if you see Modi’s speeches, he is trying to be extremely inclusive. And that is one of the main reasons why I joined BJP.

Coming back to Netaji, don’t you think the BJP is milking his legacy?

BJP is the first party to respect and honour Netaji. For the last 70 years, the Congress has suppressed each and every document pertaining to Subhash Bose. His disappearance angle, documents trickling out proves there was no air crash. Congress kept secrecy on the entire episode, why? On January 23, 2016, the first transparent government of Independent India was established by releasing the Netaji files. The process is on and it would be completed in 2018. This has been the demand of the people of this great nation, that we would like to know what happened to the liberator of India. Congress’ entire effort to suppress files had been successful so far. 

I agree the Congress is obsessed with the family and, thereby, has forgotten other major leaders. That is precisely why the BJP has been allowed to highjack freedom fighters like Bhagat Singh, Sardar Patel or Netaji, who did not conform to the BJP ideology at all.

A party goes through transformation. BJP, when it was formed, was a different party. BJP under Modi is a different party which has evolved into a different progressive set up. What I find good about BJP is it is accepting the change. Maybe, for many years they did not. There were orthodox leaders. But under Modi, we have a progressive group that is willing to change and move forward.

Whether it is JNU, Hyderabad, Srinagar or FTII, the BJP government seems to be constantly at loggerheads with students. Don’t you think the mood of the nation is going against the party for indulging in everything other than governance?

 BJP is not at all at loggerheads with students. There are certain misguided students. They must come back to the mainstream. You see, I have very closely interacted with terrorist organisations like ULFA in Northeast. I got to know the ULFA commanders and they were very educated boys, but they were misguided. Today, most of them have come back to the mainstream national life. I feel certain political parties are misguiding the JNU, Jadhavpur students for their political motive.

Are you comparing ULFA recruits with Kanhaiya Kumar?

No, not at all. I am speaking merely about misguidance. The Left forces have tried to utilise Kanhaiya, who is an innocent boy. He can be brought back to the mainstream. He has been brainwashed to create havoc in JNU.

He does not seem like a guy who can be influenced so easily.

Well, the kind of statements he has been making, I do not think he would make them if he is not influenced.

You briefly spoke about the Congress suppressing the documents concerning Netaji. But the declassified files did not throw up anything the right wing expected it would. On the contrary, Nehru was looking out for Netaji. The only new development turned out to be a photoshopped letter in which Nehru spelt Attlee incorrectly.

No. There are very serious links that have been found where it is clearly stated Netaji never died in the air crash. He went into soviet Russia. But we do not what happened after that. Only the KGB files will tell us. Modi government is the first government that has officially written to Russia, Great Britain, Austria and Germany asking them to release files regarding Netaji, if any. During Manmohan Singh’s tenure, Justice Mukherjee had requested him to take the initiative because when he went to Moscow, the KGB officials told him, ‘If the PM writes to Russian President, we will consider releasing those files’. Singh did not care to reply. But Modi has not only written to Russia, he personally spoke with Putin.

Are you saying there is a lot more declassification to be done? Because the first set did not implicate Nehru everyone thought or hoped it would.

The intention is not to implicate anyone. The intention is to expose the truth. If some of the Congress leaders have committed a crime, I think the Congress party should expose them. Nehru was not god. If he has committed a crime, Congress should expose that.

We do not know whether he has committed a crime.

Yes, we do not know. I am not saying that.

Did BJP’s anti-Nehru campaign work for you while joining their ranks?

I don’t think so. You have to correct history. Everything is around Nehru. Every university and college is named after him. The point is Nehru’s role should be stated as it was. I do not want to downgrade him, nor do I want to exaggerate things.  Many of our freedom fighters do not find a place in our history books. It was a joint effort. It started from 1857. But nothing is there. Only Nehru aaya, baat kiya aur ho gaya. This is a bit ridiculous. At the same time, we should not say Nehru is a bad man. We will say what he exactly was.

What was Nehru?

Partition happened because of Nehru. Jinnah and Muslim League never wanted it. I say this from personal knowledge. My father was involved in the freedom movement. Netaji was imprisoned in the medical college. This was in 1937 when the elections were held in provinces. Netaji proposed the elections should be held jointly with the Muslim League. After the elections, joint ministries should be formed. Jinnah accepted it. When it was placed in the Congress Working Committee, Nehru and Gandhi rejected it. That is why Jinnah in 1940 for the first time raised the Pakistan issue. Jinnah realised he could not share power in India. He was alienated and pushed aside.

But the two-nation theory was first mooted by Savarkar in 1920s. The alienation must have begun then.

But Muslim League did not want Partition. In India, we blame Jinnah for Partition. He was definitely there. But it was Nehru who mooted the idea and pushed Jinnah completely to a place from where he could not come back to India’s main frame. Nehru made serious mistakes. He was in a hurry to become PM. He should have let Jinnah become the PM, he was dying in any case. After that, Nehru could have become the PM.

Coming back to Bengal, do you intend to remain in politics irrespective of the results?

Yes. I am here. I will ensure the state gets a government that works.

Reports suggest Mamata is likely to retain power. If she does, would you continue to be in active politics?

If she comes back to power, it will be hara-kiri for West Bengal, it is better to commit suicide. And I will continue to be in politics until we can drive her out of the state.