By IANS,
Kolkata: Saying that Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee should have opposed the ongoing security forces’ operation against the Maoists, Lok Sabha MP Kabir Suman Saturday said he would protest against it in parliament even at the risk of being expelled from the party.
“We (Suman and Trinamool) had opposed the joint security operation at Lalgarh despite being part of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA). Similarly, we should have opposed Operation Green Hunt,” the singer-turned-MP said here.
“We should have said, with all modesty, a ‘no’ to Operation Green Hunt. Mamata should have criticised the operation,” said Suman, known for his pro-Maoist views.
He was referring to a major security crackdown against the Maoists in the state.
Trinamool Congress is the second largest party in the Congress-led UPA government.
The MP from Jadavapur said he would stage a demonstration against the security forces during the Lok Sabha session beginning Monday.
“Our chief ehip in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay has written to me saying I can express my views at the Trinamool parliamentary meeting which will be convened soon after the session begins. The party will express its views. I will do mine,” Suman said.
However, Suman said that irrespective of the decision at the meeting he would stick to his stand of staging the protest in parliament.
“Even if not a single person at the meeting supports me, I will demonstrate…I am a man of mass movements. I will protest in parliament. I cannot live with state terror. I have to protest. I don’t know what effect it will have. But I will protest.
“If my party throws me out, even then I will continue my agitation by accepting the party’s decision with utmost humility,” he said.
“Nobody should think I am supporting the Maoists. I am against violence. Nor am I ridiculing Mamata. I am sure she will become West Bengal chief minister after next year’s assembly polls in West Bengal,” he said.
Suman has had frequent run-ins with Banerjee since the 2009 Lok Sabha polls.
He drew Banerjee’s ire late last year for accusing a section of party leaders of misusing funds allocated for development work.