Intellectuals divided over resignation

With Trinamool Congress MP Kabir Suman announcing his decision to resign from the party, intellectuals today were divided over the issue with some asking him to reconsider it, while others said political parties needed to maintain discipline. Magsasay award winner, social activist and writer Mahasweta Devi said, “It's not proper for Suman to resign at this point of time. He could have waited till 2011. We are appealing to him to reconsider the decision.”

Poet Jay Goswami spoke on the same lines and said the CPI(M) would exploit the situation. He, however, conceded that artistes did not feel comfortable in politics. “Picasso joined the communist party, but had to resign. Suman is a musician and it is sad to lose such a man in Parliament.” Sculptor Jogen Choudhury said while Suman believed in ideology and was also emotional, political parties needed to maintain discipline, both in and out of parliament. "There are many things in politics which are apparently disturbing, but it needs political skill to overcome them," Choudhury said. Painter Shuva Prasanna said Suman's resignation would be 'a betrayal of the people'.