Suman at it again, this time with his autobiography!

Pranati Bandyopadhyay

Kolkata, Jan 16 (PTI) Trinamool Congress MP KabirSuman is no stranger to controversy and this time his hard-hitting autobiography apparently gives a handle to the rulingLeft Front in West Bengal to target Mamata Banerjee''s party inthe Maoist-nexus blame game.

In his just-released "Nishaner Naam Tapasi Malik",dedicated to top Maoist leader Kishenji among others, Sumanwrites about a meeting Trinamool chief Mamata held with RajaSarkhel and Prasun Chattopadhyay among others in the party''soffice during the peak of the Nandigram movement in 2007.

Suman, who is also a lyricist-composer-singer, says hewas present in the meeting.

Sarkhel and Chhatopadhyay are currently in jail afterbeing arrested under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act assuspected Maoists.

Besides the Kishenji factor, the meeting has alsoprovided CPI-M an opportunity to nail Trinamool for itsalleged nexus with Maoists. Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury hasalready met Union Home Minister P Chidambaram citing certainpages of the book to prove CPI-M''s point against Trinamool.

About Mamata''s perception on Maoists, the Jadavpur MPwrites, "She had expressed her anguish over the mindlesskilling of innocent people by the Maoists through SMSes. I wassurprised that Mamata had not said anything about the tortureof the tribals by the combined forces both in Chhattisgarh andin West Bengal."

Although full of praise for Mamata for her relentlessfight against the CPI-M and her lead in Singur and Nandigrammovements, Suman, however, lashes out at her saying, "Heractual intention was to exploit my talent and popularity forthe benefit of the party. I was a fool to oversight the entiregame plan."

The former journalist of Voice of America who alsoworked in the Bengali division of German Radio before hisreturn to India in 1990, said he always felt comfortablewithin the limits of music. "Politics is not my cup of tea. Atthe best I am a political activist, nothing more."

He writes he had no intention to join active politics,but "it was for the insistence of Mamata Banerjee and someintellectuals, I had agreed to contest election. Now I regret.

Nobody in the party leadership wants me. I am also fed up."

There is, however, no word as to why he is notresigning from the Lok Sabha and also leaving the party.

He is also critical of fellow intellectuals andanother popular singer for not supporting him in his tiradeagainst the Trinamool. "I never compromise with my stand.

Others do. There is the difference. I always tell people notto take me for granted." .

Referring to his earlier tiff with Mamata with his eight- song audio CD ''Chhatradharer Gaan'' eulogising PCPAleader Chhatradhar Mahato, now in jail under UAPA, the 62-year-old singer says, "I won''t take permission from anybodyfor releasing my songs. The party has no business tointerfere."

Suman Chhattopadhyay who became Kabir Suman afterconverting to Islam before his marriage with popularBangladeshi singer Sabina Yasmin a few years ago, lashes outat CPI-M in no uncertain term saying, "I sincerely want to seethe end of this Left Front government."

Explaining why he has dedicated the book to Kishenji,he says since the latter had invited him as mediator for peacetalks with the government, "I felt honoured."

"Nishaner Naam Tapasi Malik" derives its name from theteenager agitating peasant girl of Singur, Tapasi Malik, whowas gangraped and burnt to death allegedly by a CPI-M leaderand party cadre. Both were sentenced to life by a lower court,but they are now out on bail after their appeal was admittedby the Calcutta High Court.