A court order that pleases all parties in a dispute is a rare occurrence but the Supreme Court of India appeared to have achieved one on Tuesday. Its short order that asked Kolkota Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to “make himself available” before the CBI and barred the CBI from arresting him has been claimed as a moral victory by both the BJP and the TMC, though the dispute is between the West Bengal Police and the CBI.
The State police and the CBI appear as mercenaries in a bigger political battle between Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Ms. Banerjee said the SC order vindicated her stand; an array of leaders fielded by the BJP said the victory was theirs. While a moral victory would be difficult to define, both are winners politically — and here’s why.
CBI being used for political ends doesn’t surprise anyone, any longer. But what was baffling about the CBI’s decision to send a team to Mr. Kumar’s residence on Sunday , February 3, was the timing — only hours before the agency’s new chief was to take over. What was happening in the city the same day was a Left Front rally that attracted a massive crowd and fired up some hope of recovery for the marginalised Marxists. “BJP Hatao, Trinamool Hatao (Remove BJP, remove Trinamool Congress)” was the rally’s slogan. The LF workers were happily sharing the images of the rally on social media when the ‘CBI versus Police’ drama washed out the story and derailed their enthusiasm. The timing of the CBI action, hence, may have a political explanation. The chit fund case in question has been going on for a long time, and there was no particular professional reason for the CBI’s move on Sunday.
The Mamata-Modi duel that has been playing out on national TV since then has further squeezed the LF and the Congress out of the picture. The BJP, with limited leadership in the State, may not be able to convert this polarisation into many victories in the Lok Sabha elections. In fact, Mukul Roy, a key accused in the chit fund scam who crossed over from the TMC to the BJP, makes it difficult for the party to claim any moral high ground. But still, it could end up as runner-up in a majority of seats. This polarisation between the BJP and the TMC is already forcing leaders in the Congress and LF to switch loyalties to either of the poles. Mausam Benazir Noor, Congress MP from Maldaha North has already moved to TMC. Large sections of the State unit of the Congress is opposed to the central leadership’s support to Ms. Banerjee. By attacking each other, the TMC and the BJP are marginalising the Congress and the LF. Both can therefore claim victory from the ongoing tussle between the CBI and the police.
Ms. Banerjee is a “Super Nautanki (Drama) Master”, said Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday. “Questions are also being raised about my paintings….I am an artist,” she said. Both could be true! Drama or art, she has the spotlight.
Published - February 05, 2019 08:31 pm IST
