Aug 26, 2024 01:58 PM IST
Whether Mamata should have been informed beforehand about such a transfer (not a routine one by any stretch) is something worth pondering about.
Irrespective of how the CBI probe pans out in the RG Kar case, it is beyond doubt that the West Bengal Health Department was caught napping in the unfortunate rape and murder of the intern doctor. The transfer of RG Kar principal Sandip Ghosh to hallowed Calcutta Medical (almost a promotion) after he was chastised by the Calcutta High Court started the rumour mill of preferential treatment accorded to the now fallen from grace health administrator. The decision was subsequently revoked but the damage was already done. Even TMC leaders including Kunal Ghosh agreed that it was a misstep. However, TMC leaders including MP Saket Gokhale has steadfastly maintained that Mamata Banerjee, who is incidentally the Health Minister also wasn’t kept in loop about this decision. The notice was formally signed by OSD and special secretary Aniruddha Neogi where he copied the Health Secretary, among others. Till date both hold their posts.
Whether Mamata should have been informed beforehand about such a transfer (not a routine one by any stretch) is something worth pondering about. However, former IPS officer Nazrul Islam believes that it is impossible that any such order can be passed without the direct approval of Mamata Banerjee. He says, “It is inconceivable that such a decision was made without taking CM’s approval, especially for Sandip who is perceived to be quite close to her.”
Notwithstanding claims and counterclaims, the larger question is whether Mamata Banerjee is seriously overburdened with work? She is head of one of the largest political parties in the country, Chief Minister of one of the most populated states of India and even heads seven departments of Bengal government. In terms of assembly seats, Bengal (294) is only second next to Uttar Pradesh (403). A look at top ten large states (in terms of assembly seats) shows UP CM Yogi Adityanath being clearly an outlier with 34 portfolios. Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde has 19 departments directly reporting to him, Gujarat CM has 15 whereas MK Stalin and Chandrababu Naidu have 11 portfolios. Nitish Kumar and Siddaramaiah have the least additional responsibility with only five portfolios lying with them. However, the point to remember is that many CMs have deputies to help them with administrative load. Some are not necessarily the biggest political leader of the state and incidentally most don’t have the sensitive health department with them. However, to be fair, Mamata Banerjee has had the health portfolio from 2011 and there has been a marked improvement in health infrastructure in government hospitals. While systematic issues persist, the flagship Sashtya Sathi scheme has empowered poor to get treatment at a much cheaper rate both in government and private facilities. But here we are talking about an administration which failed to act nimbly when encountering a PR disaster. Would a full-time health minister help there is a question worth asking.
Also read: Sanjay Roy harassed another woman before doctor’s rape-murder, asked girlfriend for nudes: Report
A third time Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee had a formidable set of ministers when she had first taken oath in 2011. That included the likes of Partha Chatterjee, Amit Mitra, Subrata Mukherjee, Jyotipriyo Mallick, Suvendu Adhikari, Sadhan Pandey among others. With time, some have left, some have become indisposed, some have landed up in jail and the likes of Subrata Mukherjee, Sadhan Pandey have passed away. With time TMC has tried to incorporate fresh faces but in key ministries like Finance, currently there is no cabinet minister, rather an MoS with independent charge is in the helm. Obviously, Mamata Banerjee has to do the heavy lifting there in order to attract investment. Some important departments are now with ministers with little administrative experience, and that Mamata Banerjee has a ‘very high administrative load’ is accepted by veteran TMC MP Saugata Roy. He believes that in running the party, Abhishek is taking part of the responsibility but in administration, it is Didi who has to take the full burden. However, he refuses to accept that there is a talent drought and says the MPs are also rooted in Bengal and helping in their way. TMC indeed boasts of an impressive roster of MPs in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha with the likes of Saugata Roy, Sudip Bandyopadhyay, Partha Bhowmick etc with ministerial experience in state and centre. But as a party grappling with inevitable generational change issues, it doesn’t have ready replacement for some of the bigwigs who are no longer part of the state cabinet. However, former BJP state president and ex-governor of Tripura Tathagata Ray blames Mamata Banerjee for failing to build a potent second line of leadership. Ray claims that Mamata wants to have complete dominance over administration and party and hence haven’t empowered others. She is guided by only a couple of advisors like Alapan Bandyopadhyay claims Ray and listens to Firhad Hakim only that too because of political compulsion of getting Muslim votes. Veteran leader says no one asked Mamata to keep all critical ministries with herself. According to Tathagata Ray, the state’s economic condition is in such a precarious condition that even people aligned to TMC like ISI professor Abhirup Sarkar won’t take up any responsibility as no one wants to tarnish their reputation. He goes on to claim that Amit Mitra too has not continued in the Finance portfolio owing to that concern.
Also read: Kolkata doctor rape-murder: What Sanjay Roy told CBI during polygraph test
‘There are decades where nothing happens and there are weeks where decades happen’, the famous quote by Vladmir Lenin is probably most apt for Bengal. Around 2007-08, the hitherto invincible Left organisation was hammered down by a feisty Mamata Banerjee when the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government’s weak administration was exposed. Their series of omissions and commissions meant TMC supremo who was gasping for political existence post dual drubbing in 2004 and 2006 became a political behemoth. The rest as they say is history. Incidentally, the Singur movement gained traction after unfortunate rape and murder of daughter of a local TMC worker. The groundswell of emotion post RG Kar incident is similar to those times when the wind was slowly shifting from the Left. Mamata Banerjee though has a far higher political acumen than her predecessor and the BJP so far doesn’t have a leader of that calibre to really shake her fortress specially in South Bengal. SSC scam, ration scam among others have failed to hurt her politically. However, with less than two years to go for the next assembly elections, the opposition would look to leverage the RG Kar issue. Post 2019 Lok Sabha setback, the TMC spruced up its feedback mechanism with plans like ‘Didi ke bolo’, doubled up on doles with Lakshmir Bhandar, which has been an instant hit with women across Bengal. The RG Kar incident has the potential to disrupt that vote bank equation. For TMC, while political pushback will be critical, solid governance will help in mitigating public disquiet over issues of lax law and order and allegations of widespread corruption. So far Mamata has used bureaucracy effectively for last mile connectivity with voters. Her public dressing down of officers and politicians in district visits have become legendary. However, a top-down approach at times means delayed response denting people’s confidence. Truly empowering the second rung leadership may just ease Didi’s burden and improve the delivery mechanism.
(Additional reporting by Moinak Mitra)
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