Nazrula Islam remains apolitical and Razzak mobilises political support

Nazrula Islam remains apolitical and Razzak mobilises political support

Excalibur Stevens Biswas

Retired IPS officer and a noted mainstream Bengali writer Nazrula Islam,best known for his fight against the Chief Minister while in service,has clarified that he is not interested in politics at the time and opted for apolitical mode to work as missionary for awakening and empowerment of the Mulnivasi communities ie SC,ST,OBC and minorities.Islam who has been working for the cause of minorities and SCs/STs, also admitted that he was approached by the Aam Aadmi Party to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha polls as its candidate.

"My trouble with successive (state) governments has been because I never conceded to their whimsical orders. I always maintained that I was a public servant and not a domestic servant.

"As regards the two governments, the Left Front being politically structured, corruption under it was controlled. But under the present regime, corruption now is uncontrollable," Islam told media during the launch of his books.

Initially close to the Trinamool Congress supremo, Islam gradually drifted away after he alleged irregularities during Banerjee's tenure as the railways minister and drew the government's ire after he wrote books accusing her government of "exploiting and treating Muslims only as vote bank".

Besides one of his earlier books `Muslimder ki karonya’ being almost  banned, Islam was also charge-sheeted by the government for violating service rules.

Islam also said he will soon approach the Supreme Court after the Calcutta High Court recently quashed a Central Administrative Tribunal order which had quashed the appointments of five IPS officers of the state to the rank of director general of police including the existing state police chief G.M.P. Reddy.

The CAT's order had come in a petition filed by Islam in which he had questioned the validity of the promotions of the five officers.

On the other hand expelled CPIM leader Razzak Mollah landing in Delhi just before ANNA Mamata proposed rally engaged himself mobilizing political support for his Dalit Muslim alliance which may turn out to be  game changer beyond Bengal.The equation sounds something having multi dimensional implications as Islam also proposes to hold a meeting with expelled Communist Party of India-Marxist legislator Abdul Rezzak Mollah, who has launched a party to fight for the rights of Muslims and SCs/STs.

"I have vowed to fight for the welfare of minorities, SCs and STs who have been historically deprived. But I am not in a hurry to join any political party," said Islam who said his fight was against the "upper class domination" in administration and government.

The equation seems rather tricky as Razzak also clarified that he would not field any candidate against CPIM.Rather he branded ruling TMC as circus party.

It clearly indicates that Nazrul plus Razzak factor would not go against the left.

It should be a relief for the Marxist robbed of their traditional votebanks.

Contending that his relations with successive governments in West Bengal soured because of his inability to bow to "whims" of the political masters, former IPS officer Nazrul Islam Monday hit out at the Mamata Banerjee government saying corruption under it was "uncontrolled".

Islam, who retired as an additional director general of police Feb 28, also launched three of his books - one of which deals with the deprivation suffered by Muslims, Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes (STs) in Bengal while the other two political satires are seemingly aimed at Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

Former IPS officer Nazrul Islam launched three books on Monday — 'Mulnibasi Istahar', 'Bhaontadir Bhanr Samuhahe' 'Ulangini Rani'. All the books criticised Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

It must be noted most of Nazrula`s literary works have been highly applauded by booklovers as well as critics. The titles of his latest books indicate about the explosive content.

It should also be reminded that he earlier exposed Mamata Bannerjee`s betrayal to Muslims as well as Dalits in his books respectively `Musalmander ki Karoniya’ and `Mulnivasider ki karoniya’.

It needs to be clarified that the term  and concept `Mulnivasi’ is attributed to BAMCEF led by Waman Meshram which has opted for politics and BAMCEF transformed into Bahujan Mukti Party is the new player in the coming Loksabha elections. Bahujan Mukti Party has focused on UP, Maharashtra and Bengal.

But Nazrula Islam has nothing to do with Bamcef or BMP. He has chosen quite an apolitical course for his mission of awakening and empowerment.

Former IPS officer Nazrul Islam who has been approached by various political parties including AAP, today said he was in no hurry to join politics.

"I was approached by the Aam Aadmi Party. I know how they work against corruption, but they too were not doing much for the backward class," Islam who retired recently told a press conference here.

"I am in no hurry. First I will have to educate my people, create and awareness and after that, if they decide that we should form a political party, then only it will be decided," Islam said.

Claiming that no development was done for the uplift of minorities in West Bengal whether by the earlier Left Frontgovernment or the present Trinamool Congress regime, Islam said, "The so-called minority are the real majority and that organising them for another 'paribartan', will have to face a lot of oppression."

Criticising Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he alleged that the TMC regime did not have any control over corruption as the party lacked structure and control over of its cadres.

"The Left Front have a party structure and had control over its cadres. So corruption was also under their control. In the case of TMC there is no control (over cadres) and thus no control over corruption as well," Islam claimed.

Meanwhile,Expelled CPI-M leader Abdur Rezzak Mollah Sunday said he was hopeful pro-Dalit outfits would join him.

Mollah, an undefeated legislator since 1972, was expelled by the Communist Party of India-Marxist for "anti-party activities" days after he floated "Social Justice Forum" -- a pro-Dalit and minority outfit which he claimed would contest the 2016 West Bengal Assembly polls.

"I was in Delhi for three days and held talks with several similar outfits. The talks have been fruitful and they have welcomed my decision to contest the polls," said Mollah after holding discussions with some pro-Dalit outfits in Delhi.

He met representatives of Bahujan Mukti Party, Social Democratic Party of India and Welfare Party of India, among others.

Mollah who has resolved to install a Dalit chief minister in West Bengal, said he would be going to Kerala soon to hold talks with parties which might extend support to him.

"I have vowed to fight for the cause of Dalits and minorities and I will be visiting several places, including Kerala, to hold talks with organisations and parties which are endeavouring to bring in social justice in the country," he added.

Times of India reports:

It might be mentioned that Nazrula, 1981 batch IPS officer, had moved court against the Bengal government as he was not promoted to the post of DG. The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) had asked the Bengal government to set up a new screening committee and consider the appointment of Nazrul and had also asked five IPS officers who were promoted to the post of DGto vacate their posts.

However, the Bengal government moved the high court and obtained a stay against the CAT order and later the high court quashed the order of the CAT. Nazrul retired from IPS service last Friday.

In his three books he mentioned that the Mamata Banerjeegovernment, which came to power amid much fanfare, had not been able to deliver what it promised.

The book 'Mulnibasi Istahar' speaks about the SC/ST/ OBC and the converted Muslims and how they had been deprived of the rights ensured by the Constitution.

In his book 'Bhaontadir Bhanr Samuhahe' mentions how the leader is duping people by giving false promises. He has created a character Dr Bhaonta Banerjee who likes to be surrounded by jesters and rewards them. The former IPS officer also criticised the buffoons.

In 'Ulangini Rani' he stated how the people go on fooling the queen, who is not wearing any clothes and the people around her praises about her dress. In this book, Nazrul mentions about chit fund scam in the state and those who were involved in the scam were offered high posts in the administration.

The three books are major criticism of the Bengal CM with whom Nazrul once shared a good rapport even when she was not in power in Bengal and had worked under her as executive director of security in railway ministry, when she was the Union railway minister. After becoming the CM she brought him back to Kolkata and had offered the post of OSD in the CMO, but Nazrul did not join it and he was put on compulsory waiting.

Expelled Dissident CPM leaders Abdur Rezzak Mollah and former MP Laxman Seth earlier  claimed the party has turned “incompetent and autocratic” and said the prevalent sycophancy culture will bring about its downfall.

“When democracy eludes a party things like red-tapism, one-upmanship and dictatorship takes over. It is at that times that some buffoons call the shots in the party. But this system within the party can’t go on for an indefinite period. Just like the Communist Party in the former USSR, it will crumble down,” former Tamluk MP and Haldia strongman Laxman Seth said.

He was speaking at a convention of Samajik Nyay Bichar Mancha, a forum set up by dissident CPM leader and former state minister Abdur Rezzak Mollah.

Seth compared former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, without taking his name, to King Lear and said he is surrounded by sycophants.

The former MP, who was removed from the party state committee as part of the CPM’s drive of purging it of tainted leaders, claimed the “present (state) leadership is authoritarian” and did not give him a chance to defend himself.

“It is a step that is not permitted by even bourgeoisie parties. They (CPM) are bringing about their destruction,” Seth said, adding that he had no intention of leaving the party right now.

Incidentally, soon after the CPM initiated an investigation into allegations of corruption and anti-party activities against Seth, he had sent a letter to the party leadership expressing a desire to quit from all posts and the party itself.

Meanwhile, dissident MP Abdur Rezzak Mollah accused his party of doing little for the uplift of the minorities. “In 19 districts, there is no Muslim district committee secretary. Why should it happen? In Murshidabad, where Muslims form 67 per cent of the population, the district secretary is a Bhattacharya. Why not Moinul Hassan, (party leader from that district) be made the district secretary? The party has a lot to explain,” Mollah said.

PTI reported him as announcing that Samajik Nyay Bichar Mancha would fight the 2016 Assembly polls in Bengal. He vowed to give the state its first Dalit chief minister and Muslim deputy chief minister.

On the question whether he will quit CPM, he said, “Let them take action against me. Why shall I leave the party? It is an organisation as of now to battle for the oppressed.”

Alleging that there was a lack of democracy in the CPM he said there was a need for “rectification in the party from the politburo to the state committee level”. “Then only you can carry on that process to local level. But how can you purify the Ganga, if the Gomukh, from where the river starts, becomes polluted,” Mollah said.