Ahead of Parliament's monsoon session, Trinamool Congress MP Saugata Roy has spoken out on the turmoil inside his party after several leaders joined the Nationalist Citizens Party of India, referred to as NCPI. There had been demands for a discussion on this defection during the session, but Roy dismissed the idea outright, saying it was not a subject that deserved debate on the floor of the House.
Disqualification pleas against NCPI defectors now rest with the Speaker
Roy explained that the Trinamool Congress has already filed disqualification petitions against its leaders who joined the NCPI, and that the matter now lies squarely within the jurisdiction of the Speaker. Asked about 20 of the party's 28 MPs moving to the NCPI and forming a separate faction, he said the TMC has no further role to play here, since any action under the anti-defection law will be taken according to the Speaker's own powers. He added that, apart from the disqualification petition, the party has also submitted a separate petition to the Speaker so that the full matter stays on record. What happens next, he said, depends entirely on the Speaker's decision.
TMC's real focus: cornering the BJP in the monsoon session
Roy signalled that instead of debating the internal split, the Trinamool Congress intends to concentrate its energy on taking on the BJP government in Parliament. He said the party will focus on how best to raise its voice against the BJP inside the House. Alongside that, the TMC plans to prominently raise the controversy around the NEET exam and allegations linked to donations collected for the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
Questions over Champat Rai's associates before the Ram Mandir Trust meeting
With the Ram Mandir Trust meeting scheduled for July 6, Roy launched a sharp attack over allegations of misuse of donations. He said those accused of misusing funds collected for the Ram Mandir are linked to the BJP and the RSS. According to him, the accused are close associates of Champat Rai, who served as secretary of the Ram Mandir Trust, and Champat Rai himself faces allegations as well. Roy said he doubts whether a fair investigation will actually take place, and for that reason the party wants either a CBI probe or a judicial inquiry into the matter.
Hitting back at Mamata Banerjee: this is betrayal, not rebellion
Responding to former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's remark that those who got everything from the party are the ones rebelling, Roy offered a different framing. He said what is happening cannot be called rebellion, because rebellion is a weighty word tied to revolutionaries. In his view, this is instead an act of betrayal. He pointed out that the leaders who received the most from the party, ranging from Firhad Hakim to Chandrima Bhattacharya, are the very ones now walking out, calling it deeply unfortunate.
Chandrima Bhattacharya's exit: driven by greed and fear
On Chandrima Bhattacharya's departure from the Trinamool Congress, Roy said those leaving the party are motivated chiefly by two things, greed and fear. He noted that Mamata Banerjee has already said this will make no difference to the party. Roy recalled that Chandrima Bhattacharya once lost an assembly election, after which Mamata Banerjee gave her a chance to contest from another seat, from where she won. Despite receiving so much from Mamata Banerjee, he said, her betrayal of the party reveals her own principles, and it makes no difference to the TMC.
Stance on the impeachment process against Justice Yashwant Varma
Asked about the inquiry report against Justice Yashwant Varma being tabled during the monsoon session, Roy said there are corruption allegations involved and that this is not a political issue. He said if the Speaker presents the report, all members of the House will vote on it. In his opinion, the impeachment process will subsequently be completed.
