Why CPM expelled own MP Ritabrata Banerjee: Md Salim, Muslim quota and kangaroo court

The West Bengal CPI(M) has recommended the expulsion of young CPM leader and Rajya Sabha MP Ritabrata Banerjee. The Central Committee of the party is to take the final call on Banerjee's expulsion. The MP was suspended by the West Bengal CPI(M) in June, for a period of 90 days.

The recommendation of Ritabrata's expulsion comes close on the heels of an interview that he gave to a Bengali channel, ABP Ananda. In fact, in the interview, Ritabrata raised concerns that some party members might ask for his expulsion right after it was telecast.

Here is what Ritabrata said in the explosive interview, uncharacteristic of a Communist leader.

THE SUSPENSION

Ritabrata Banerjee said he was unperturbed by the suspension. "I haven't received a formal letter, but I have heard that I have been demoted from the state committee. I have been asked to go back to the district and work there. The position that I was in... I am obviously a demoted CPM worker.

"The party had suspended me and constituted an investigation committee against me. I was suspended for a 90-day period. In my 21 years of working for the SFI, I have never been undisciplined. But there are times when someone has to bell the cat. These 90 days that I have been made to bleed... I am grateful to every single person who has stood beside me," Ritabrata Banerjee said in the interview.

Ritabrata Banerjee was suspended from the state party after allegations that his lifestyle was too lavish for a Communist Party worker. He wears an Apple watch, carries a Mont Blanc pen in his Fabindia kurta's pocket and is a frequent flier. There were murmurs about his romantic liasions as well in party circles. His bank statement and the 'disparity between his income and expenditure' was under the party scanner, and Ritabrata said that a 'kangaroo court' was constituted to deliver the verdict. But he 'was hanged even before that could happen. He was suspended from the CPI(M) for three months even before the commission's judgment could arrive.

ON MUSLIM QUOTA

"I have been made to hear that I have learnt nothing of the Communist Party's politburo. I have learnt nothing and that he is the only one who has learnt everything. The person I am talking about is the chairman of this kangaroo commission against me. He is Mohammed Salim. I believe that... the Communist Party that aims to change society, how can its politburo have quotas? If you are a Muslim, you are eligible. If you are a woman, you are eligible. Are these permissible in a communist party? He has become a politburo member because of his religion. I believe that if anyone deserved to be a member of the politburo at that time, it was Gautam Deb," Ritabrata Banerjee said.

'BECOMING AN MP WORKED AGAINST ME'

"I believe, primarily now, that becoming an MP turned out to be a bane for me. Secondly, I might have been an MP and still be unscathed had I pretended to be deaf and mute in the Parliament. I wouldn't have had any problem that way. I am a last-bencher in the parliament. We are not taken as seriously. Whether I have served the parliament or not, whoever has seen me can justify that. The public should know what I am doing in the parliament. I used to tweet and put up my work on Facebook. The moment I would do that, a certain coterie would start attacking me. Mohammed Salim, his son Russell Aziz," said the youth leader.

ON THE HEARING

An investigating committee was constituted to investigate the veracity of the allegations against Banerjee. But before they could even begin looking into the matter, the verdict was delivered: Ritabrata was suspended for three months, he said.

"Before the investigating committee could even begin its work, I was suspended for three months. Before the verdict could even arrive, I was hanged. Even before I could go to the commission, a newspaper published in detail what was going to happen there. I still believed that the commission was unbiased."

'IT WAS A KANGAROO COURT'

"But after going to the commission the first day, I realised that it was an out-and-out kangaroo court. I asked the commission for the names of the people who accused me of certain things. I wanted to know what were the accusations against me. And I also asked for the opportunity to cross-examine these accusations. This is the law of natural justice. I will have to let the public know everything," he said.

'I WILL GO TO COURT'

"The party could have asked for my bank statement. But they obtained it illegally. I have spoken to the Finance Minister and I have been assured that it is being looked into. Once the names of the people are with me, I will go to court and file cases against them. Because this is illegal. You cannot do it," said the Rajya Sabha MP.

CENTRAL LEADERSHIP

"Majority in the CPI(M) national leadership are anti-Bengali. In 1996, they did not allow Jyoti Basu to become the prime minister of the first United Front government," he said.

MOHAMMED SALIM

Mohammad Salim

"The very first day when I went to the commission, I realised that it was a kangaroo commission. Mohammed Salim's behaviour was very vindictive. I have to defend myself. If tomorrow, the commission comes up with new allegations and says that I have signed on that paper, I have to keep a window for self-defence too. I am not able to trust Mohammed Salim," said Ritabrata.

WHAT NEXT - BJP OR TRINAMOOL CONGRESS?

"That, time will tell. I cannot say what is next. Time is of utmost importance. My priority is the red flag. The red flag is not any one person's patent. It is not patented to some father-son duo or some coterie. It is of the people. No one can snatch that flag from my hands," said Banerjee, adding that even the gossip around him was organised.

(The writer tweets as @ananya116)

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