Rebel Trinamool Congress MP and noted singer Kabir Suman has added fuel to the fire in the Saradha money collection scam through a song parodying the State Government’s inaction and the subsequent fiasco.  

The song, which has gone viral across social media and YouTube, mocks Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s comments asking people to be vigilant in the future. Banerjee had said: “ Ja geche ta geche ” (what has gone, has gone).

Riding on an older song composed by Salil Chowdhury, Suman has tweaked the lyrics to narrate the tale of how villagers and the poor have been cheated by Saradha while the ruling party looked on. He has also been critical of the ponzi owner hobnobbing with the party and the tacit support Saradha enjoyed in spreading its empire.

Taking a dig at the Trinamool’s election slogan for “ paribartan ” (change), Suman hints at Saradha’s contribution to the party fund through the purchase of Banerjee’s paintings at “crores of rupees”.

The song is most critical of one of the Trinamool Congress MPs who was involved with the Saradha group as its CEO for the media venture. The song calls him ‘Chenal Ghosh’ who moved to the Saradha group and the rise of Ghosh as a Rajya Sabha MP.

Suman (64), credited with bringing about a renaissance in Bengali music in 1990s, was elected to the Lok Sabha on a Trinamool ticket in 2009.

Social oppression and inequality have been the focal point of all his songs. In the past he has used music to voice protest against police firing in Nandigram and State action in Singur. His scathing criticism of the then Left Front Government on land acquisition came in handy for Mamata Banerjee to overthrow the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee Government. 

Banerjee may have, however, under-estimated Suman’s sharp political views. Soon after being elected as MP, Suman raised his voice against alleged corruption within Trinamool. He has also condemned Banerjee for reversing her previous stand and going ahead with joint force operations in Maoist-affected districts of the State, including the arrest of tribal leaders. This did not go down well with Banerjee and the two fell out.

pratim.bose@thehindu.co.in

abhishek.l@thehindu.co.in

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