I do not have to wait to speak to PM Modi, at least he listens: Dinesh Trivedi

Trinamool Congress (TMC) Parliament member Dinesh Trivedi on Friday announced his resignation in the House, becoming the latest to quit West Bengal’s ruling party ahead of the elections in the state this summer. Trivedi spoke to Sunetra Choudhury about the resignation. Edited excerpts:

What led to the resignation?

I did an emotional thing. I tried my best to salvage... but I was sitting in Parliament and thinking what am I doing? I am representing Bengal’s ruling. I am a founder member of the Trinamool Congress when nobody was there when we were struggling against the might of the Left, which was an ideological fight. We had asked for change and what is that change. It is peace, prosperity and corruption-free [rule]. Everybody must try and achieve that but every day I get a call that in my building, TMC goons are coming and asking for money. If you do not give money, there is violence. So, I was sitting, and I said what am I doing here? I cannot change; nobody is listening. I tried my best. There is not a single senior leader who does not know what is going on in my mind. The other day I was travelling with [TMC lawmaker] Saugata Roy and he agreed with me and said: “What do I do?” He appeared so helpless. Politics is not master and slave or master or karamchari, but that is what it has been reduced to. And I said enough is enough. When I went inside the chamber, I did not even have a [resignation] letter written. I sat down there and wrote the letter and gave it.

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So, the trigger was people calling from your area...

It was a combination. For instance, the PM [Prime Minister], and the governor of West Bengal are all constitutional positions. Does it look good to start abusing all of them? And if I give a speech in Parliament, the leader of the party in RS [Rajya Sabha] tells [West Bengal chief minister] Mamata [Banerjee] that Dinesh Trivedi did not abuse the PM that I did not speak bad of the Home Minister. Are we here to abuse them? If there is something wrong with their policies, in a civilised manner, you debate.

Are you are referring to your tweet praising PM ahead of your resignation?

It was much bigger. Why are we in politics? For the country. When I resigned as railway minister [in 2012], I said the same thing that the country comes first before the party. That is why it was dramatic for you. But for me, it was natural and all building up. For instance, on our Twitter accounts, the party takes all our details. I could have said no also, and I do not know who uses my account. With my Twitter account, they abused the PM; they abused the governor. I asked why did you do that? I had to delete [tweets] many times too.

Did election strategist Prashant Kishore’s team tweet for you?

I do not know who tweets, but the fact is, they do take our account password details. In good faith, I shared. But many times, I would see abusive tweets. I had to put my foot down and asked them to delete or I would. The governor also realised that Dinesh cannot use such abusive language. One day, they tweeted in Hindi abusing PM and used a bad word. I said that firstly, I do not tweet in Hindi and this is not my language. My image would be tarnished. They want some kind of conflict with the Centre all the time, but I do not believe in that. If the state scheme gives ₹10,000 and Centre’s 15,000, you can add and give ₹25,000. But this ego of not taking the Centre’s funds harms Bengal which needs development. So, too much violence, too much corruption...

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Were you referring to Kishore’s company I-PAC when you said in Rajya Sabha that a corporate group has taken over Bengal?

I called them consultants of political parties. Have political parties become so out of touch with the people that you need a consultant? It is not a bad word.. the party which I have formed...we have struggled with our blood and sweat. After coming to power, somebody is given hundreds of crores and their employees tell you what to do, how to address rallies... I think it is a shameful thing. When Mamata fought the Left single-handedly, there were only two general secretaries--Mukul [Roy] and I. We did not need anybody. That was the time when emotions were there, liberation and the dream of a better Bengal. And the person...[Roy] is being abused day in and day out. For what? Everyone understands the problems, but they do not have the guts. The biggest enemies are the sycophants.

Were not the consultants also credited for Narendra Modi’s 2014 win?

Has Modi said that? Consultants may have a role to play but you do not sell off your role and the party. They cannot decide on the party strategy.

Do you agree with what the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) says about corruption in TMC?

Why should I have to go by BJP? The people of the state are saying it. I have never opened my mouth. But let me tell you that I sent a complaint to the principal home secretary and it goes down to the police. The person, who goes is told: “Sabko dena parta hai [everyone has to be paid].’’

You talk about violence now but has not that been a feature of Bengal politics?

Are you trying to say that we should have accepted that? What was the change? If it was business as usual, then we have cheated the people. There was no change as far as violence and corruption were concerned. It is 100-fold now. At least during the Left [rule], we did not see political functionaries taking money on camera. When Narada tapes came, I was the first one to tell the leader to keep all those featured out. And for that, I was kept out and made the bad guy. I was not allowed to go for campaigning in 2016.

Does Banerjee favour her nephew Abhishek Banerjee?

I do not want to go down that route. I only think that the time has come that we must get out of this family business. You must give credit to the Left and also the BJP that at the very top, they do not have brothers and nephews. It is vulgar. For someone who has just come the other day...

Do you mean Abhishek Banerjee?

Whether it is Abhishek or someone else, do not start using the chopper to go to your constituency. It does not gel. He was a kid when we were struggling. I understand that he uses foul language; that is not our culture. If anyone in your household leaves, you call that person. Here you start abusing. And just because PM is from Gujarat, you do not have to abuse Gujaratis every day.

But are not a lot of the people accused of corruption joining the BJP?

You should ask them that. Who am I to reply to that? I can talk about TMC and when you talk about dynastic politics... if a chief minister’s son or daughter becomes an MLA [member of legislative assembly] and everybody bows to them, that is wrong. If everyone starts touching their feet, is not that vulgar?

Is that what is happening there?

I do not want to name. Abhishek Banerjee is otherwise a very intelligent boy. India is all about Gandhi. Mamata Banerjee is praised because of her simplicity, her hawaii chappal and way of life but you cannot have a split personality. If your leaders are found in some kind of corruption; no mercy. Due process has to be followed.

Has the BJP been in touch with you?

When asked I said it would be a privilege to join the BJP as it is the No. 1 party in the world. [Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader] Sitaram Yechury is also a good friend; so is [Maharashtra chief minister] Uddhav Thackeray. I meet [Nationalist Congress Party leader] Sharad Pawar; everybody is a friend.

Did Modi speak to you post the resignation?

I do not have to wait to speak to him. At least he listens.