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‘No regrets on viral video mocking Jagdeep Dhankhar’: TMC's Kalyan Banerjee
Lok Sabha elections: Kalyan Banerjee is one of Kolkata's top lawyers who has helped TMC and its supporters in many legal battles
"Why will I regret...Is mimicry wrong? It is a form of protest, legitimised across the world," comes the booming response from star TMC MP and candidate from Serampore Lok Sabha constituency Kalyan Banerjee.
For the uninitiated, he was referring to his imitating the act of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar's mannerisms in a mock parliament after 141 MPs were suspended.
The clip tweeted by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi instantly became viral with some finding it hilarious and others deeply offensive. The VP took offence, and his sentiments were echoed by none other than the Prime Minister, who said that he too has been subject to similar jibes for the past 20 years. However, Kalyan claims that he has made peace with the VP and called him up on his birthday.
ALSO READ: ‘Great gesture’: Kalyan Banerjee, who mimicked Jagdeep Dhankhar, now lauds V-P. Here's why
The viral clip may have brought Kalyan to the national center stage, but he is no stranger to controversies. The three-time TMC MP is known for his plainspeak and slightly acerbic humour which at times have also ruffled the feathers of people, including those of his party.
ALSO READ: Kalyan Banerjee of TMC mimics Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar again, this time in Bengal
Kalyan Banerjee recalls how he had directly asked now-retired justice Abhijit Ganguly in an open court, “Are you looking to join the BJP?” He also agrees that Justice Ganguly was chosen by the collegium, and that they get it wrong, sometimes. When probed about whether the collegium system is the right way forward, Kalyan says that at this point there is no better alternative. But those who are choosing judges, need to do a better job, is his firm assertion.
Some Verdict, Some Suspicion
HT Bangla caught up with Kalyan in his Kolkata house, stone's throw away from Mamata Banerjee's humble abode, cooling his heels after a tiring election schedule. Kalyan is one of Kolkata's top lawyers who has helped TMC and its supporters in many legal battles and is now helping the party to weather the storm of several scam allegations.
.Kalyan fondly recollects his long association with Mamata Banerjee, helping her to fill nomination from Jadavpur in 1984, where she defeated the invincible Somnath Chatterjee, and the rise of her political career started
In the earlier days, every Sunday, there used to be an informal legal cell operating out of Mamata Banerjee's house, reminisced Kalyan. During one such day, Kalyan had picked up the case of the disappearance of Bhikhari Paswan -- a jute mill worker in 1993. The case, though unresolved till date, generated considerable political heat at that time and was even probed by the CBI.
It had managed to put the ruling Left in discomfort at a time, where the Left election winning machine was chugging smoothly. In the subsequent years -- from Singur to Rizwanur Rehman case -- Kalyan was at the forefront of issues that took Bengal by storm.
He rues the fact that in the SSC teacher appointment scam, the commission didn't take proper atlegal counsel from the start. Kalyan is currently fighting the case for students who have lost their jobs and is extremely chuffed about the fact that the Supreme Court has agreed to stay the blanket cancellation of jobs given by SSC to over 25,000 aspirants.
When asked pointedly about whether he believes like Mamata Banerjee that some of the Calcutta HC judges have favoured BJP in their recent judgments, Kalyan appears slightly cautious.
The veteran TMC MP says, “All in a hallowed institution shouldn't be tarred with the same brush, but there are certain cases which make one wonder about whether they are truly being heard on merit.”
He cites an example of the case where Suvendu Adhikari has been given a virtual firewall against any further FIR by the High Court. The state government has to get permission from the court before proceeding to take any action against the Leader of the Opposition. Kalyan says that the case against this order has been heard and pending judgment since December 2023.
“Why is the verdict still not being announced?” he asks impatiently. In the same vein, Kalyan says that verdicts for many sensitive cases are being announced during the election period.
While there is no rule against it, according to Kalyan, earlier it was a practice that judges refrained from giving big verdicts during the poll season. Kalyan cited an example from personal experience where former CJI Dattu followed this practice. Incidentally, during the election period, HC in a landmark verdict excluded many communities from the OBC reservation ambit, in another political setback for the TMC government.
Loyalty to Mamata, respect for Abhishek
Kalyan scoffs at the suggestion of taking the Rajya Sabha route to Parliament emphasizing that true political success lies in connecting with the people. Despite remaining non-committal on the Mahua Moitra issue, Kalyan lays out the process of how he managed to ask an impressive 274 questions in the last Lok Sabha.
Working with a dedicated team, the TMC MP says the focus is on understanding issues of India better and pointing out the lacunas. Kalyan says for him, there is only one leader, that is Mamata Banerjee. However, he is candid to accept that Abhishek Banerjee is the next in line to take over TMC.
Despite past reports of friction, Kalyan indicates reconciliation with Abhishek. He says nonchalantly that he doesn't have great PR skills to make waves in social media but asserts that his strength lies in grassroots support.
The Path Ahead
A fourth term is almost a foregone conclusion according to him and he pegs TMC touching 30 seats out of 42 in this election. For Kalyan, his first love remains law. Yet the praise he receives from Mamata Banerjee about setting the party's agenda in the Parliament is enough compensation for sacrificing legal practice for eight months of the year.
Another notable moment captured online shows Kalyan Banerjee emotionally praying to Goddess Kali. Refuting the notion that BJP exclusively represents Hindus, he champions India's diverse religious landscape as intrinsic to Hinduism's essence, criticizing BJP for attempting to disrupt this social fabric. In a few days, we will know if India has chosen Kalyan's preferred path.
