Page 38 - 31DEC2018E

BOOK REVIEW

tions, let there be investigations by the of a powerful colonizer whom he had A spokesman of the Haryana gov- his book dwells MAMATA’S POLITICAL keep the right-wing commu-
CBI in the case and it may submit a re- helped during Hooda regime and also ernment told Tehelka, “We will cooper- largely on the nal factions at bay, away from
port to the court within a period of six due to his close relations with a media ate with the CBI as this scam belongs to political graph JOURNEY OFFERS wrecking communal strife
months from today.” barren, who enjoys considerable clout the previous government and we have of Mamata and havoc in her State.
During the hearings of the case, in Manohar Lal led government and nothing to hide. Agency will further Banerjee and A FEW LESSONS She comes across as a
counsel of Haryana government has Narender Modi led Union government. question officers and staff of Director T what’s made formidable force. Not to be
placed on record a letter mentioning Copy of file noting in possession of Town and Planning as they have not her a strong political leader The book Didi The Untold Mamata Banerjee bullied by any of the right-
that the state government is agreeable Tehelka proves that file for coloniza- provided the page mentioning Power of the country. Perhaps, her wing rulers of the day. In fact,
to hand over the matter for investiga- tion licence was cleared in a single day of attorney on stamp paper which is childhood paved way for her chronicles various phases of life of the Trinamool her quest has been to keep
tions to CBI regarding initiation of by the Director of Town and Country necessary to prove that land in ques- to be drawn towards politics Congress leader that may provide guidance to communal forces away from
acquisition for approximately 1400 Planning department, Financial Com- tion was purchased after an issue of as her father, Promileshwar, her State and also to reach
acres of land and finally, restricting it to missioner of the department and the notice. was an active Congress sup- budding politicians, reports HUMRA QURAISHI out to the marginalized sec-
87 acres only and all matter connected Chief Minister for obvious reasons. Earlier, the CBI had asked the Hary- porter. To quote from the tions and also to the minority
therewith. Three months ago, CBI team headed ana government to provide accommo- book “who allowed his office communities.
File for grant of colonisation licence by SP Rajeev Ranjan had questioned the dation to them in the office of the Town to be used for party meetings. She is one of those handful
was cleared in single day and the role of officers of Town and Country planning and Country Planning Department, Gu- Local Congress leaders would of chief ministers who has
three senior IAS officers who had dealt Haryana at its headquarters at Chan- rugram. The investigation agency was come home regularly for tea, gone ahead to take all possi-
the file is under scanner of CBI, which digarh on how notice was issued for planning to interrogate about seventy much to Mamata’s delight. ble precautions that commu-
according to the official sources is likely officials of the department who were She would listen to endless nal clashes do not take place
to issue notices to these officers for posted at Gurugram when the process tales of the Indian freedom in her State.
explaining as why the licence was One senior for issuing of notices under sections 4 struggle and their revolution- “Mamata has been so cau-
granted when the land in question was and 6 was underway and later on for ary ideas. She would willingly tious that in 2017 she refused
under process of acquisition and fur- IAS officer releasing the land when builders had prepare home-made glue to allow Durga Puja idol
ther what was hurry in clearing the file. purchased it from panicky farmers to paste their posters. It was immersions on Muharram,
Ram Babu Ambavta, a lawyer who involved in the at throwaway prices was completed. during this impressionable the Muslim day of mourning.
is fighting case of the farmers told scam who was They have been asked to submit details age that Mamata learnt about ‘Some people will try to cre-
Tehelka, “Farmers were cheated to the of their assets. both the Congress and the ate trouble on Hindu-Muslim
tune of 10,000 crores, benefiting build- appointed on a top The CBI’s promptness in the inves- communists.” grounds. Every religion is
ers, politicians and officers of town constitutional post tigation has sent panic waves among With that take off, the ours. But if there is a problem
planning adding that farmers were officials of the department who had re- various political turns and she narrated the incident to while a procession is passing
forced to sell their land to builders at after retirement is portedly purchased land at throwaway turbulences are mentioned her father without trepida- DIDI - THE a puja pandal, we will all be
UNTOLD
through way price at gunpoint mean- already facing heat prices in name of their distant relatives in great detail. Mamata tion and pointed out the MAMATA affected.’”
ing threat of acquisition.” A team head- taking advantage of inside information struggled and remained culprit,” the book says. BANERJEE Interestingly, though
ed by CBI DSP Parmod Kumar recorded in another land scam that the land will be released. Builders focused till of course she was And along the expected BY: SHUTAPA PAUL this book carries only nine
the statements of farmers whose land had developed sectors 58-67 on prime successful in defeating the strain right from the student PENGUIN BOOKS photographs of Mamata, but
was purchased by the builders after the land having residential and commer- three-decade-old Left Front days Mamata’s activism 228 PP; 299 two of those photographs
issue of notices under section 4 of Land acquisition of land for public purpose cial projects. government in 2011. Emerg- paved way for political bat- speak volumes for her secu-
Acquisition Act. Kumar refused to share and was withdrawn when the farmers When the acquisition proceedings ing as one of those formi- tles. In her memoirs she says lar approach. And in today’s
any detail about the investigations and had sold land to builders in panic at a were on, builders purchased the land dable regional leaders who that she would often take India, these two particular
told Tehelka that agency is investigating throwaway price. and applied for the license for colonisa- could today even take on the her books to the protest sites, photographs relay so much
the case on directions of the Supreme Dhara Sing and Jaswant Singh re- tion. Their applications were forwarded right-wing rulers of the day. and if arrested, study in the slew of protests between 1978 positivity and that vital bond-
Court and we will submit our report in tired Chief Town Planners and Sat- to the headquarters. At the headquar- After one has read police lock up. “Mamata has and 1983; Mamata played a ing and respect for the other.
the court. ish, Assistant Town Planner were also ters, their cases could have been reject- through this book, her politi- famously been referred to as central role in almost all the We Indians do need a leader
One senior IAS officer involved in questioned. During this interroga- ed as the acquisition proceedings were cal journey does come across a ‘street fighter’, a nomencla- agitations whether it was who is secular not just whilst
the scam who was appointed on a top tion period, no outsider was allowed still going on but they were granted the as tough but indications that ture that is not unjustified. against Jayaprakash Narayan delivering speeches but
constitutional post after retirement in the DTCP office and the Director licence in a single day. Jasbir Malik who she would be fighter-activist ‘Fighting for our lives on or Farooq Abdullah.” actually and truly practices
is already facing heat in another land Town Planning, K M Panduranga, was is contesting the case in the Supreme seemed to hold out right the streets of Calcutta was And as I have already secularism.
scam. present during the questioning. CBI Court on behalf of farmers told Tehe- from her childhood. “One day something we did, 330 out of mentioned this book is laced This book is excellent in
One is still occupying a top admin- sources told Tehelka that all relevant lka, “This is a serious case of misuse of during the daily shopping 365 days in a year. Everyday with details to Mamata’s po- terms of details to Mamata
istrative position in the Haryana state, records pertaining to the acquisition the provisions of the Land Acquisition run she noticed that a neigh- there were protests, meet- litical graph. And it indicates Banerjee’s political life. But
while other who was heading Town and license granting period was seized. Act to loot the farmers for the benefit bour’s careless flicking of a ings and slogan-shouting. two prominent factors–her there seems little space
and Country Planning department The Haryana government is fully co- of the builders adding that he hoped beedi had burnt a passerby’s Everyday there was violence.’ determination to be a politi- given to the personal life of
during the regime of Bhupinder Hooda operating with the CB as it has only to that CBI will not be influenced by any shirt, and tempers had flared she says. Under Subrata cal fighter. Also, she is equally Mamata.
has got top position in Manohar Lal gain because the scam is related to its consideration.” in the locality. While the Mukherjee’s leadership, the determined to be remain
government also. Courtesy patronage predecessors. LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM other onlookers stayed mum, Chhatra Parishad organised a secular, trying her utmost to LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

TEHELKA / 31 DECEMBER 2018 38 WWW.TEHELKA.COM TEHELKA / 31 DECEMBER 2018 39 WWW.TEHELKA.COM

36-38 CBI Pawan Bansal.indd 4 12/14/2018 9:26:31 PM 39 Book Review.indd 3 12/14/2018 9:27:00 PM