TMC Jawhar Sircar Resigns From Party and Rajya Sabha Amidst RG Kar Row; TMC Insiders Claim He Was Asked To Leave Long Back

Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Jawahar Sircar on Sunday took to social media to announce his resignation from the Rajya Sabha, TMC and politics, citing disagreement and disgruntlement with the way Mamata Banerjee government handled the protests over the brutal rape and murder of the 31 year old RG Kar PGT doctor. Sircar became second Rajya Sabha MP of TMC after Dinesh Trivedi to have resigned from the party publicly citing differences.

"I express my gratitude again for the opportunity you gave me to raise Bengal's issues in Parliament for three years, but I do not wish to continue as MP at all. My commitment to fight corruption, communalism, and authoritarianism in the Centre and the States is simply non-negotiable," Sircar wrote in his later addressing the Chief Minister and the party supremo Mamata Banerjee. In his letter he also added that "unchecked overbearing attitude of the favoured few and the corrupt" in his own party, compelled him to take the decision.

Sircar, the former Parasar Bharati CEO, joined TMC in august 2021 but in the following three years he claims he had formed disillusionment with the party. TMC has been under the criticism both in social and political circles since the RG kar incident and Sircar in his resignation letter has highlighted the state government action and intervention post the shocking incident has been “too little and quite late”. in his resignation letter, he had carefully mentioned about his performance in Rajya Sabha, termed it satisfactory.

Trinamool Congress sources however claim to be unaffected with his exit from the party, calling his move “well anticipated in advance”. A senior TMC leader, unwilling to be identified confirmed that both Mamata Banerjee and the party national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee were unhappy with his conduct in Rajya Sabha, “lackadaisical attitude to raise party issues in the parliament. According to TMC insiders the party had communicated to him in July to l'eave and make space for some more effective”.

“We always knew this would happen. Dinesh Trivedi left the party after creating a public show. That didn’t help him or BJP. He joined BJP, only to get lost. Abhishek Banerjee has a clear formula, perform or perish. Jawahar Sircar chose this timing to make some headline out off him. May be in politics for the last few years, this is the best he has learnt- the right opportunity”, said a senior TMC leader.

BJP insiders claim, while Sircar’s resignation from the party and the timing give them the opportunity to take jibes at TMC but they were “uninterested to call him into their folds”.​