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'Who bothers about the Left today?'

Somnath Chatterjee's bare-all book Keeping the Faith has left his former comrades seething with rage. He spoke to Principal Correspondent Shutapa Paul on his memoirs and "the saddest day in his life". 

What was the experience of writing your memoir? Was it a cathartic experience?
I'm no writer by any means and I have admitted that in the book itself. I had announced in early 2008 that I was going to retire because of my health and age. Biman Bose had immediately rung me from Kolkata saying, "Somnathda, don't make such announcements that you will retire from politics." I said because of my ailing health and perfect relations between me and the party, I have decided to retire. Somnath Chatterjee
Jyoti Basu was very much alive then and he was my mentor, my leader, he was everything to me. I didn't take any action ever without consulting him or without his permission.

Then many people including my staff, secretariat staff and my principal secretary were trying to impress upon me to write something saying that nobody has such experience. But I said that I had no practice of writing a book or memoir. This news went around and a lot of publishers started approaching me.

After a lot of persuasion, I felt that almost 40 years' material, speeches and major appeals have to be obtained. I felt that it wouldn't be easy to write unless you get a good back-up and a set-up for the back-up. They have all helped me and I have acknowledged them in my book. I started writing in early 2009 but it was very slow because I could hardly afford much time. I didn't have a ghostwriter or a drafts person. Ninety five per cent of the book was completed in Delhi and I added some chapters such as "My Colleagues and Comrades" and "Rubbing Shoulders with Stalwarts" in Kolkata.

This is not my autobiography. My first chapter is on how I came into politics. During my student days, I didn't dabble in politics. My political career started with Parliament in the sense. My first election was as an independent supported by CPI(M). Although I took their symbol, I wasn't a member then. The party membership came during my first term. I didn't go through the grind in a way but that was a great moment in my life. Therefore, I felt very sad when I was expelled, to cut off such a long connection almost unceremoniously. It still hurts me and I have to live with that.

You started your career as an independent MP backed by the Communist Party. It ended as an MP who was expelled by the CPI(M) and that it was one of saddest days in your life along with the death of your parents. How do you look back?
When I say interest of the Left, I don't mean the interest only of the people. The concept of the Left movement in this country means hundreds and thousands of ordinary comrades, people who have been supporting the Left and sacrificing their sweat, toil and blood.

I thought about what would happen to these people. I asked myself, how it would benefit the Left movement in the country to be cut off from mainstream politics. Also at the back of my mind was the emergence of communal forces which according to me these days is the most serious situation developing in the country. These reasons were there but of course I'm still very unhappy. When my old friends, comrades, call me names, it's their right to call me names, but naturally I feel sad.

So the concept of the Left movement, in its entirety, prompted you to refuse to resign as Lok Sabha Speaker?
Yes, very much so. I apprehended that the strength of the Left lay in parliamentary politics which was reflected through its number in Lok Sabha in 2004. This position was diluted which means a great setback. Today nobody can deny wherever the Left is strong, it has been able to maintain a government. Why are we in the government? I shouldn't say 'we'. (smiles) Why is the Left in the government? This is because through the government in the three states we have been able to serve the people better.

Jyoti Basu used to say that Parliament is significant for us; we know that we won't be in power but it is a great platform to express the views of the common people, nobody talks about the workers' and peasants' interests which we have tried to do sincerely. That's why ultimately people felt that this party at least would help them.

I also felt that since the day Jyoti Basu was offered the prime ministership, it is known that the real power is in Delhi. The real power is the Central government and the Prime Minister occupies the most important position in the country. If that had come to the Left, we would have been able to serve the people better.

What the Left has tried to do in the three states would have been an all-India presence and there would have been a tremendous impact. I have also said that if in 2004, the party had joined the government, how many important portfolios the party could have got and not for their own status but as a medium to serve people better.

There is no other party which has better policies and programmes than the Left. But what is very important for any political party is the question of the direction which is provided by the leadership. If there is some lacuna there, then other things follow. The perfect example is that any and everybody today is taking pot-shots at the Left because they know that there is uncertainty in the citadels of the Left. Of course, I was never in any position where I could decide on policies and programmes. Who bothers about the Left today? In West Bengal also, everyone is enjoying the present situation that is there in West Bengal and Kerala.

Where do you think the current leadership of the CPI(M) went wrong compared to greats like Surjeet and Namboodiripad?
I don't want to bring them in as I'm being repeatedly told that I have no right to comment about a party that I am no longer a member of. But as a citizen of India who may not be a member of the CPI(M) but has still not mortgaged his political thinking, my commitments have not been bartered away to anybody, whatever be the most unjustified criticism that is being made about me, which I resent and is nothing but canard. It is absolutely disgusting and false to allege that I am becoming soft to some other political party. That may be their assessment but I know that I have not let down the party, the people who are the backbone of the party.

I have not let down consciously or at all the teeming millions who have been looking up to the Left leaders. My conscience is absolutely clear and let others introspect and decide whether under their hegemony, the party is stronger or not. If it is weaker, then they owe an explanation to the people at large why it is weaker today.

Prakash Karat will be questioned in the extended Central Committee meeting about his decisions. He will be facing opposition from the West Bengal faction.
I can't say anything. It's for the members of CPI(M)'s Central Committee to say, I have no authority to comment. I won't be there.

What changes are required, both at the organisational and political level, for the Left to extricate itself from its present plight?
They should follow Jyoti Basu's advice -- Be with the people, share their joys and sorrows, and never lose touch with the people. You can't be an armchair politician and just give lectures on certain theories and programmes. People should consider you as a strength. How could Left Front government under Jyoti Basu continue for years? It's because people found in him a real friend, a true well-wisher, one of them, articulating their views, aspirations and dreams and trying to meet them, be with them and share their joys and sorrows, that he is one of us.

Nothing can be decided divorced from the common citizen's views and reactions. When you don't care for people and treat them as bonded labour that will always follow you, this is what will happen as is shown today. It is a matter of great agony even for me, for all those who believe in certain principles, to find out who will look after the working class and talk about them.

Members of Left parties are not even allowed to speak in the Parliament today. I have read this in the newspapers and seen on television. Even though it was not the majority by any means, the party with 61 MPs had a commanding presence in the House and the government had to depend on them. They could have utilised their time to bring about changes, they could have done wonderfully. According to the Left, I'm absolutely wrong but till the very end of my life I will carry these views with me.

Jyoti Basu is your mentor and you draw a lot of inspiration from him. How do you react when the CPI(M) leadership said that you shouldn't have dragged the late veteran leader?
My only answer is that I have not written consciously even one word in my book that is incorrect. (In tears) That would be on my part the biggest disrespect to my only leader whom I miss every moment of my life. I'm not that ungrateful to him. People have not read the book and are commenting on selective excerpts. They don't know what I have written about A.K. Gopalan, Jyotirmoy Basu, other Left leaders whom I have seen in Parliament.

I have tried to give my understanding and honest assessment. I have consciously given up politics and chosen a retired life. Everyone knows that I was offered many positions of power and influence, which I didn't accept. I have no expectation, no aspiration and no motives to write this book.

How do you react to the CPI(M)'s statement which contradicts your version of the five-member available Politburo taking the decision to expel you?
I never said in the book that I was present. I can't vouch for it. That's what the report came to me. If I wasn't correctly informed, then they have rectified me. I said that I'm not aware but I was told about the five-member Politburo.

The statement said that your comments were "just post-facto justifications of a person who defected to the ruling establishment". How do you react to this?
That's a canard; it's the greatest insult that has been made. I repudiate with all the honesty and strength in my command, the attitude of insult that has been shown on the basis of falsehood, calumny, lie, and concoction.

In your book, you've mentioned about the letter that you wrote to Vajpayee and what followed. Tell us about this episode.
He has been very nice to me and I have known him for 40 years. A letter came to me, in reply to the letter that I had written to him to persuade his members to attend the House when they had decided to boycott the House against the government. The reply came and it was a bombshell, the most insulting document that could be and it was signed by Mr. Vajpayee himself. I was very upset and I was going to resign that day. He came to my house and expressed his sorrow. This shows the greatness of Mr. Vajpayee. It was very clear to me that he was made to sign the letter.

How would you describe your relationship with CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat?
There is no question of special, personal or impersonal relationship. As a general secretary, I respected the position but whether it was properly utilised or not, it's for the members to decide.

Do you want to go back to the CPI(M)?
There is no question of that. It's all hypothetical.



