Kolkata: BJP leader Mukul Roy was the first signatory at the Election Commission to the formation of the Trinamool Congress. Two decades later, he is the BJP’s prime weapon to wrest Bengal from the party that he helped found.
After the murder of a TMC MLA, the state police filed an FIR against him even as he maintained that his life was under threat. At a time when yesteryear actor Biswajit Chatterjee (Trinamool’s Lok Sabha candidate in 2014) and expelled TMC MP Anupam Hazra are likely to join the BJP, Roy, in an exclusive interview to News18.com, explains the saffron party’s plan in the state, his role in it and more.
The TMC has blamed you for the murder of their legislator, Satyajit Biswas, and named you as an accused?
This is the scenario in West Bengal. When a TMC worker is killed or murdered by their own people, the party tries to divert the whole issue...politically...and takes the name of BJP leaders, workers and others.
In Bengal, if you go through the present stories, everywhere (you will find) they’ve filed FIRs against BJP leaders and workers under false charges.
The murder of Satyajit, he was a young guy…it is most unfortunate...this shouldn't have happened. That is why, I am asking for an independent inquiry. Then, it will come out — the truth. There was a function organised by the TMC workers and supporters. How (did) the miscreants reach Satyajit? If they're not known to others, then definitely he would not have been allowed to (reach that point).
A murder has taken place, police are yet to reach, no one has said anything (and) the TMC started (saying) that Mukul Roy is the mastermind. This is the party’s policy, it has politicised the issue and is trying to divert (attention) the real story. I feel that there should be an independent inquiry, CBI or anybody else. I will be happy to know who the real culprit is.
The party has also linked the murder with his connection with the Matua community? What is the connection?
The Matuas are a community in West Bengal, he might have been involved in the organisation. But it is not related.
What do you make of the recent dharna by Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata?
It is the most unfortunate part of the country. This is an attack on the fundamental structure. Suppose you see that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is sitting on a demonstration and by his side, you have the chief of the CBI, the DG of police, CRPF or CISF. This is not at all fair and it is very harmful. In a democracy, this shouldn’t be happening and it is a very bad (state of) affairs for the country.
No one possibly knew Mamata Banerjee as well as you did once upon a time. She is in Delhi again, this time with new friends and allies like Chandrababu Naidu and Arvind Kejriwal. What do you think she is planning?
She is trying to project herself as a PM candidate, but where are the seats? The scenario is such that Chandrababu Naidu has 25 seats in Andhra Pradesh. Arvind Kejriwal will contest on seven or eight seats. So who is the leader? Where are the seats?
What is the BJP‘s plan for West Bengal?
The BJP is going all out to improve its organisation. It (BJP-led Union government) is completing many projects in the state. The Jalpaiguri circuit bench (for instance) was a long-term demand of the people of north Bengal. It has been inaugurated by the Prime Minister after getting the President’s assent. The party is going all out for the people of Bengal and its cadre.
(But) in Bengal, there is no democracy. Recently, the general elections of Madhya Pradesh have taken place… also in Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. The BJP lost in all the three states, but there were no murders, no killings or nothing of that sort. However, in the recent past in Bengal, there were civic polls and hundreds of people, including 52 from our party, died. This is the scenario in West Bengal. The TMC is not allowing the opposition to hold a meeting or protest or anything.
The Congress and Left have alleged that the BJP is using the chit fund scam and the threat of agencies as a way of getting TMC leaders into its fold and citing you as an example...
That is not fair at all. Some people were cheated and looted by certain chit funds like Saradha, Rose Valley and others. The apex court of the country ordered a CBI probe and when the CBI started the inquiry, it asked me to become a witness along with Soumen Mitra, the present state Congress chief and CPI(M) leader Rabin Deb.
But nothing was found in the investigation and so no case was filed against us. It is not true that the CBI is being manipulated or being influenced by the BJP. The truth is that the CBI is working as per the merit of the case and they have done it, as directed by the Supreme Cour.
Do you think this protest by Mamata Banerjee is linked to the role of the police in the election?
Of course. This police are going to going to make (or break) the Lok Sabha elections (in Bengal). The manner in which the chief minister sat with the police officers, it’s unparliamentary and undemocratic.
When you left the TMC, you said that many from the party would also join after you. Is that still the case?
It is still going on. Everywhere, in every booth, regularly we have people from TMC joining the BJP. Saumitra Khan (Lok Sabha MP from Bishnupur) joined the BJP and the Trinamool Congress slapped six cases against him. All the senior MPs and senior leaders are waiting for the announcement of the election, so that the administration is in the hands of the EC. Then many sitting MPs will join the BJP.
When you left the TMC, you said that one of the reasons you left TMC was ‘dynastic politics’. What did you mean by that?
I strongly believe dynastic politics isn’t fair and has no place in Bengal. TMC is not a political party — it’s a company with a director and a semi-director.
Would you contest the Lok Sabha elections?
It is up to the party. If the party leadership wants me to, I will. If it wants me to hold elections, then I will hold elections.
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