Is Mamata Banerjee – Megalomaniac or Narcissist?

 

Is Mamata Banerjee – Megalomaniac or Narcissist?

Is Mamata Banerjee (MB), the firebrand leader of the All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) and Chief Minister of West Bengal, “Megalomaniac” or “Narcissist”?  Her behavioral traits, particularly during the recent past, tend to portray her as a deadly combination of a “Megalomaniac and Narcissist.”

The manner in which MB is making attempts to wriggle out of the adverse fallout of R G Kar Hospital and Medical College 31-year old 2-year Post Graduate Doctors rape case glaringly reflects her personality behavior traits – a maverick with a deadly combination of “Megalomaniac and Narcissist.

Remember that MB has a flair for invoking slogans to whip up powerful emotions among her followers: "Ma", "Mati" and "Manush" which mean "Mother", "(Mother)land" and "People" respectively; Khela Hobe (The game is on); Bangla Nijer Meyekei Chay (daughter of Bengal); Washing Machine BJP; Poribortan (Change); and others. Recently Amit Shah launched a scathing attack straying from her promise for "Maa, Maati, and Manush" and instead catering to "Mullah, Madrasa, and Mafia".

Ipso facto, MB has an unnaturally strong wish for power and control – a BIG BOSS and self opinionated to dictate terms to all others. Speaking on tabling the 'Aparajita' anti-rape bill in the state assembly, MB on 3 September 2024 demanded the resignations of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah and the chief ministers of all states – where the incidents of rape and sexual abuse were reported recently – for allegedly failing to implement effective legislations to safeguard women.

Also, recently addressing a foundation day event of the AITCs Chhatra Parishad (student wing) in Kolkata, MB said: “Some people are thinking this is Bangladesh. I love Bangladesh, their culture and food is the same as ours. But Bangladesh is a separate country and India is a separate country. Modi babu, you want that fire to spread in Bengal. Then you should understand that if a fire starts in Bengal, Assam will not be spared, Bihar will not be spared, it will not stop at Manipur, or Odisha. It will also reach Delhi.” Surely, it is a veiled internal security threat from a Constitutional Head.

MB wears many hats besides being the Chief Minister, Home Minister and Health Minister. MB has written two letters to the Prime Minister to cover up her failures/shortcomings in the R G Kar Hospital rape case. And, the irrefutable facts of her failure are available in the public domain. Most importantly, MB has forgotten that despite Fast Track Special Courts, WB has 48,600 rape and POCSO cases pending. The state of West Bengal communicated its willingness to participate in the scheme vide letter dated 08.06.2023 committing to start 7 FTSCs. Under the revised target, West Bengal has been allocated 17 FTSCs of which only 6 exclusive POCSO courts have been operationalised as of 30.06.2024. The state govt has not taken any steps to start the remaining 11 FTSCs.

Next, Aparajita Woman and Child Bill (West Bengal Criminal Laws and Amendment) Bill 2024 was passed unanimously by the State Assembly. She was at her hysterical best in the Assembly. The bill stipulates a life sentence without parole for those convicted of rape; Capital punishment for those convicted if victim is left dead or in vegetative state after the crime; tighter rules under POCSO Act; Aparajita Task Force to punish the accused within 21 days of the Preliminary Report and trail to conclude within 30 days; and so on.

Already available in the public domain is the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 replacing the old I.P.C. Sections 63 to 79 of  Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 provides a comprehensive list on Rapes to include: Definitions of Rape; Punishment for rape; Punishment for rape in certain cases; Punishment for causing death or resulting in persistent vegetative state of victim; Sexual intercourse by husband upon his wife during separation; Sexual intercourse by a person in authority;  Sexual intercourse by employing deceitful means, etc; Gang rape;  Punishment for repeat offenders;  Disclosure of identity of victim of certain offences, etc; Printing or publishing any matter relating to Court proceedings without permission; Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty; Sexual harassment; Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe; Voyeurism; Stalking;  and  Word, gesture or act intended to insult modesty of a woman.

So, the only new stipulation is the constitution of Aparajita Task Force to punish the accused within 21 days of the Preliminary Report and trial must conclude within 30 days.

In retrospect, MB suffers from “Narcissistic Personality Disorder” that is a mental health condition - grandiose sense of self importance. She has been seeking too much attention and lacks the ability to understand or care about the feelings of others. MB believes, more aptly, behaves as if she is someone special and unique among the crop of political leaders in the country. She has been arrogant, brags a lot, and comes across as conceited. She exaggerates her achievements and talents, and expects to be recognized as superior.  She is unwilling to recognize the needs and feelings of others, particularly the Doctors in the ongoing R G Kar Hospital Rape case.

Most importantly, MB takes advantage of others to get what she wants to do what they want without questioning them. For example, the list of corruption/scams include: Rs 2,500 crore Saradha scam in April 2013 - Madan Mitra, sports and transport minister and a confidante of MB arrested who got bail after spending 21 months in jail, besides MP Srinjoy Bose and Vice-President Rajat Majumdar; Rs 17,000 crore Chit Fund scam of Rose Valley Group - Lok Sabha MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay  and MP Tapas Paul arrested, party number two Mukul Roy grilled besides Chairman Sudipta Sen and executive editor Debjani Mukherjee arrested; Narada News sting operation—where members of the AITC were recorded accepting bribes in exchange for favors to a fictitious company; Collapse of the under-construction Vivekananda Road flyover in north Kolkata that killed 27 people on March 31, 2016 wherein AITC leaders of the area supplied substandard building materials; CAG report -  not providing the certification of work completion for projects worth over Rs 2 lakh crore; 2016 School Service Commission teachers' recruitment Scam - Education Minister Partha Chatterjee arrested and Calcutta High Court cancelled  the recruitment of almost 26,000 schoolteachers and non-teaching staff; ₹20,000 crore PDS/Ration scam -  Minister Jyoti Priya Mallick arrested; Cattle Smuggling scam - Anubrata Mondal, senior AITC leader and close aide to MB arrested and on bail; Multi crore Coal Pilferage scam - l from leasehold areas of Eastern Coalfields Ltd (ECL) in Kunustoria and Kajora  of Paschim Bardhaman district; and so on.

Ironic but true, MB claims to be the most honest Chief Minister and blames her Ministers and other key leaders for the series of scams and corruption cases. After the Lok Sabha polls, MB has admitted to systemic corruption in an open meeting in the running of municipal bodies when, with Ministers, elected heads of municipalities, bureaucrats, and the police, she launched a scathing attack against her own party and administration on the rampant corruption and mismanagement in the municipalities and urban centers.  MB did not spare neither her party leaders and Ministers nor the bureaucrats and the police. Blaming others for her failures is the norm.

As the CM-HM-Health Minister, her bid to cover up and overcome her shortcomings in the RG Kar Hospital rape case glaringly exposes her as a deadly combination of Maverick-Megalomaniac- Narcissist.