MP Dinesh Trivedi seeks speedy trial of tainted leaders

KOLKATA: Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi has written to the Prime Minister seeking fast-track trials for Parliamentarians and MLAs implicated in criminal cases. He expresses alarm over rising rape cases and notes with anguish that "somewhere we have failed to live up to the expectations of the founding fathers of our great democracy".

He is the second Trinamool MP, after Sougata Roy, to break from the rigid party hierarchy and take a step in his "individual capacity". It may not be a big deal for an MP to write to the PM on their own, but it is unthinkable in the Trinamool where only Mamata Banerjee takes the decisions. Roy was snubbed recently for saying that veterans in the party should get preference over those who joined the Trinamool after 2009. And Trivedi had to resign as railway minister following differences with Mamata over his decision to hike fares.

On Thursday, Trivedi told TOI that he was well within his rights to write to the PM. "I have done this in my personal capacity as an MP. These are my feelings," he said. The Trinamool wouldn't say if it was aware of this letter. "There are so many MPs. How can I know who has written what to the Prime Minister. I will have to check," said Trinamool leader and Rajya Sabha member Derek O'Brien.

"I write this letter with anguish, concern and a sense of responsibility... The series of gruesome incidents taking place across the country, especially involving women, children and senior citizens, including the recent barbaric gang rape of a young girl, has shaken the conscience of the common man. This appears to be just the tip of the iceberg, as there must be innumerable such unreported incidences of sexual harassment," Trivedi has said in his letter, a copy of which is with TOI. He has sought trials in fast-track courts for tainted politicians and withdrawal of certain benefits enjoyed by elected representatives.

"A democracy cannot survive if the rule of law is applicable to only a selected few influential people like politicians, civil servants or the rich and famous," he writes. "Crime is on the rise and... if this continues we could lose the very essence of democracy. The need of the hour is to recognize that somewhere we have failed to live up to the expectations of the founding fathers of our great democracy. We should come together and seriously introspect to find solutions rather than apportion blame. We need to clean up our own house i.e. the legislature," goes the letter, adding that there is "no place for a single legislator with a criminal record in the assembly or Parliament".

"Unfortunately the Parliament is getting reduced to a mockery and hooliganism and the Speaker is virtually terrorized (cutting across party lines). The politicians today appear to be serving their political parties first rather than the Nation."

Trivedi doesn't spare the bureaucracy, either. "The entire bureaucracy and police have been completely politicized and the system works only for their political masters (bosses), be they chief ministers of states or Union ministers in the cabinet. Slowly but surely the common man is losing faith in democratic institutions, such as Parliament, CBI, CAG, judiciary etc., despite these institutions having a good number of capable and honest people," he writes. Trivedi wants politicians stripped off privileges that "exhibit a show of power", like beacon lights, pilot cars and the right of way to ministers and VIPs. The only exception could be that of the President and PM, he says. I hope you as the Prime Minister will realize the danger signals hovering over our Nation which need to be addressed immediately before this cancer consumes our democracy and we all are left only to regret

I had personally taken up the matter related to criminalization of politics, namely Vohra Committee report, with the Hon'ble Supreme Court, whose judgment is still pending implementation by successive Governments

It is refreshing to see an MP speak in this language.

It should have come from the leader s of the Congress and BJP in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. But boh these parties have sold their souls to the devil of corruption.

They are mum because they have these corrupt legislators in their party.

Dinesh Trivedi is made of a different mettle.

He showed it as the Railway minister and is now showing it by airing his views on corrupt MPs and MLAs.

He will get my vote in which ever party he is in.

But no vote for the TMC.

Hats off to him.