New Delhi: The Rajya Sabha saw dramatic scenes on Friday, February 12, when Trinamool Congress MP Dinesh Trivedi announced his resignation after getting up to speak. Trivedi said he was suffocated in the House as he has not been able to do anything for the violence going on in West Bengal.
Trivedi has also quit Trinamool Congress and rumours are alive that he may join Bharatiya Janata Party tonight.
Trivedi has been Union railway minister and was removed from the position after his predecessor and party chief Mamata Banerjee protested against his raising train fares.
On Friday, Trivedi said, “Everywhere in my state I am seeing incidents of violence. Yet we are unable to say anything. I come from the land of Rabindranath [Tagore] and Netaji [Subhash Chandra Bose]. Which is why I cannot tolerate this any longer. I belong to a party and have to abide by that party’s rules. But I am suffocated here. It is better to quit and work in Bengal,” he said, according to a Bengali transcript published by Anandabazar Patrika.
Trivedi added that he had only responded to his inner voice – something that everyone must do once in a while.
“I am grateful to my party that it has sent me here, but now I feel a little suffocated. We are unable to do anything and there is atrocity (going on). My voice of conscience is saying what Swami Vivekananda used to say – arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached,” Trivedi said, while announcing his resignation from the House.
Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh said there is a due process for resigning from the House and asked Trivedi to submit his resignation in writing to the chairman.