Asansol, which borders Jharkhand, in a sense, is a kind of Bihar within Bengal, as the first two states were once equal. More than 50 percent speak primarily Hindi. This migration has a lot to do with the large coal deposits, a steel plant and a huge railway establishment that define this commercial and industrial city.
“There is also a huge middle class here: kamaal ka [fascinating] culture of union, without discord, common religious celebrations. It suits me, coming from the film industry, which is very similar,” says Bollywood veteran Shatrughan Sinha.
Sinha is fighting for re-election from here on Mamata Bannerjee’s TMC ticket. He won the seat in the 2022 by-election, once BJP’s Babul Supriyo fell vacant and he defected to the TMC itself. Sinha’s victory was the first for the Asansol TMC.
Sinha, a five-time MP, 77, also a veteran of the BJP (having been in the party practically since its inception), moved first to the Congress and finally to the TMC, a couple of years ago.
He is currently probing in the scorching heat of the coal belt, known for its black soot-laden pollution, exuding the characteristic cheerful and boisterous spirit still, coughing a couple of times during this talk: “It’s okay; just the dust,” he says. Asansol polls on May 13.
Edited excerpts from the interview.
What problems do you go to the people of Asansol with?
These are general elections. The issues to be highlighted are national and mainly have to do with the unfulfilled promises of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP. On the one hand, they say, India is the fifth largest economy in the world and 25 million people have been lifted out of poverty.
So 80 million people have also been pushed into poverty? that you have to feed them [for free]? Then there is the mehengai (inflation), unemployment, farmers’ incomes, which were supposed to have doubled…
The icing on the cake is the “chanda ka dhanda” (donations scandal) that was exposed with the electoral bonds. People can also see what the CBI and ED are doing.
At the other extreme, the BJP is seen taking Sandeshkhali in Bengal. I understand that due to confusion between HC and CBI verdict in the case, action taken against Sandeshkhali was delayed.
But for Prime Minister Modi to repeatedly attack [Mamata] Didi, India’s only female CM, with “sharm nahin aati” (you have no shame) jibes, over Sandeshkhali? Kathua, Hathras, Manipur, Karnataka… Is there no shame? I never say, vote for me. Vote for truth, development and commitment.
His opponent, BJP’s SS Ahluwalia, has also been an MP for three decades. He switched from Congress to BJP in 1999. You have had the longest history with BJP, moved to Congress, then TMC…
First of all, my opponent is not my enemy. I wish SS Ahluwalia all the best. He arrived at the last minute, to compete from Asansol, while he has pending work in [the adjoining] Burdhman-Durgapur, where he managed to survive with a margin of 2,000 votes [in 2019].
He had been in the BJP since it had two MPs. [in 1984]. My eyes were opened when I realized that my father figure, LK Advani, my friend, philosopher and guide, Murli Manohar Joshi, let alone my friends Yashwant Sinha, Arun Shourie and Jaswant Singh, were being sidelined.
And that the BJP was moving from a lokshahi (democracy) to a taanashahi (dictatorship). You can’t compromise with self-respect. But the nation is above all. And Bihar is my strength.
So I felt that whatever the situation was, the location should remain the same. That was the city of Patna. [constituency]from where I had to score a hat-trick.
I joined Congress. Madam Sonia Gandhi and Rahul really loved and supported me. But there were two or three people making decisions, who silently gave the [Patna City] ticket away to another person.
Madam Mamata was kind enough to offer me Asansol, even without telling me first. She announced on Twitter [now X], and then called. I scored a hat-trick, with a record margin. TMC had never beaten Asansol before.
Mamata and TMC regularly use the Bengali and non-Bengali binary as electoral rhetoric. How do you reconcile yourself with being a ‘Bihari babu’?
I am a Bihari babu, a Bengali babu and a Hindustani babu. I can speak Bengali, which I learned in Patna, which has the second largest Bengali population. I didn’t think I would be useful in Asansol, delivering speeches, so many years later. I was admitted to FTII from central Bengal, where Mrinal Sen was the selector. You probably already know, I have done quite a few Bengali films: Gautam Ghose’s Antarjali Jatra, Samit Bhanja’s Jaban, Shakti Samanta’s Mastan…
As I say now, I have a wife and three homes: Mumbai, Patna and Asansol!
The reason Ahluwalia was brought in at the last minute is because the BJP’s original candidate, Bhojpuri actor Pawan Singh, was trolled and canceled for uttering lines in his films that were derogatory towards Bengali women. How fair is that? You yourself have been a Bollywood villain.
I agree, unfair. In that way, Amitabh Bachchan and I have killed in films. Dilip Kumar was a thief in Ganga Jamuna, but he was a very dignified man.
I don’t know Pawan Singh, but I have heard that he is a popular figure and a good artist. But of course, all is fair in politics, love and war. Take the case of the Karnataka sex scandal. Of course, Prime Minister Modi will be dragged in personally.
You have been an accomplished actor and politician forever. What’s the difference between the two and why are so many actors aspiring politicians?
There is a big difference between the two. Yes, many actors get into politics, and why not, if they are committed? If a doctor, an actor, a farmer can be a politician, surely so can someone from the film industry. They also get into politics, because glamor has limited power, but power has unlimited glamour. However, many get tired and give up soon.
He could be the longest-serving MP and the only one in the film industry to have been a cabinet minister, dealing with Health, Family Welfare and Transport. Despite that, in all these years, you will not find a single corruption ka daag (taint) against me.
The number of actors that TMC is fielding in the elections is particularly insane. What do you think of that?
You’ll have to look at this glass half full. Everyone talks about a 33 percent reservation for women in Parliament, but [Mamata] Didi has not expected any of that, presenting the maximum number of candidates, encouraging even more women. Now they could belong to the film industry, but with art, culture, sports, seeing is believing. If they are not good, someone else is brought in.
Also, [Mamata] Didi is an artist who writes prolifically and has written lyrics. She understands art. Otherwise, the attitude [of power] towards the film industry is that they squeeze you and then say sorry!