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The Rediff Interview/ Shailendra Mahto

'Corruption will always remain in politics'

Shailendra Mahto, former Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MP who turned approver and gave the crucial evidence to sessions judge Ajit Bharihoke on which former prime minister P V Narasimha Rao was convicted, may not resemble a crusader of truth.

After all, he is yet another politician, quite well versed in the art of talking his way through. Withholding what should be withheld. And telling you only what should be told.

After giving a long discourse on truth to a group of people from Bihar in his drawing room full of Satya Sai Baba pictures, Mahto complained that not even one person has called him up after the historic judgment in the JMM bribery case. That he, 'the truth', is terribly lonely in this hour of glory. And throwing up his question in the air: 'Will someone give me an award for what I have done?'

Sitting in house number 51 in South Avenue MPs' quarters allotted to his wife and BJP MP, Abhay Mahto, the man who contributed the most important twist to the JMM bribery case spoke to Josy Joseph.

How do you feel, now that your statement has become the mainstay for a significant judgment in the history of free India?

I did whatever I can to tell the truth, to place the truth before the public. Its result has come, and punishment has been given. I am not saddened by it. But I should mention here that the Narasimha Rao government survived not only because of four JMM MPs, but others as well.

Ram Lakhan Singh Yadav and six other MPs changed their party overnight and lent their support. There were others also. But today, in this case, none of them has been trapped, and only two have been punished. I would have been happier if all of those who took money to support Narasimha Rao had also also punished. Then it would have seemed as if justice has been done. But the CBI was not able to do it.

We, the four JMM MPs, had our money in the bank, and that is how the case was proved. If we had not done that, the case could not have been proved. I have tried to tell the truth, and I have said the truth.

The gurus tell us that the truth should be spoken, and I told the truth because it is a national issue. I wanted to see what would be the result of it.

What forced you to speak the truth? Besides, that is, your split with your JMM colleagues, and political persuasions from both BJP and the anti-Rao camp.

I don't have any enmity with anyone. Neither with Narasimha Rao, Buta Singh nor with JMM MPs. No enmity at all. But I thought the truth should be spoken. In politics, people tell a lot of lies. That is why I said the truth.

When did you actually feel the urge to tell the truth?

From the beginning I have been like this only. From my childhood. If 10 people told a lie in my village, I used to come speak the truth. This attitude has been with me from my childhood. Sometimes I used to get beaten up for it by my friends. 'You have exposed us, you have done this, you have done that,' they would scold me. But this has been my attitude all along. To tell the truth. I fail to understand myself sometime. I don't bother about the impact of telling the truth, nor do I ever take care to study its implications.

Who trapped in you this case?

This happened in 1993, but it came up only in '96. Before this the Hawala scam came up, and if that that had not come up, the JMM case would not have come up either.

What is the link between the two?

The attempt to trap each other. Wasn't it a fight among the big leaders? We became the football in it. There is nothing else to it.

You mean, those who were trapped by Rao trapped him in turn?

Yes, that's what happened. We became the football to be kicked around.

But who actually among you persuaded the others to take the money?

No, no. The fact is that nobody raised any question for three years. When the Hawala scam came up, this followed to trap Rao. Advani, senior Congress leaders were all trapped in the Hawala scam. They were trapped during Rao's tenure through the CBI. In their fight we were made the football. And today's verdict is the result.

If the JMM case had not come to court, if no one had put any pressure on you, would you have told the truth?

Even otherwise I used to say all that happened. Even before (the case came up) I used to say all this. When there was talk about how Narasimha Rao's government was saved, I used to say how it happened before a small crowd was there. Whenever there was any talk, I used to say what had actually happened.

What did you do with all that money in the bank? You didn't touch that at all?

No. Some of it was spent.

You got it all in cash?

I have already told all before the court. I don't want to say anything further. I got cash and put it in the bank.

You felt good on surrendering it to the court?

You know, on February 26, 1996, there was a press conference in Parliament, along with Vajpayeeji, when I said everything.

But you retracted your statement later?

Yes, I changed the statement in Parliament because I was threatened. People from the Congress threatened me, but I have told everything to the court.

You got frightened?

Yes. Obviously one will be frightened. I am not made of stone or iron. I felt frightened, but after that the issue went on and on. Then when the matter came to court, I told the truth.

But finally how did you summon up the courage to tell it all?

I left everything to God, to Sai Baba. I am a loyal devotee of Shirdhi's Satya Sai Baba. I do puja everyday, without puja I don't even eat my breakfast. So I kept his image in front of me. Along with that I started reading some portions of the Bible when I was in Tihar Jail. A Bible preacher, N A Rajan, introduced me to the Holy Book. I used to keep a lot of books, including some spiritual books. He read to me from Romans chapter 1:18 where it said 'For the wrath of god is revealed from humans against all ungodliness, and unrighteousness of man who hold the truth in unrighteousness.' Along with it, John Chapter 8:31-32, 'Said Jesus to the Jews, which believed on him, If ye continue in my word......and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.' These things made me feel something, and along with that I prayed to Sai Baba and finally made up my mind to speak the truth.

After that, when I came out of jail I took every possible step to tell the truth.

Your family stood by you?

When I went to speak the truth, there was a fight in my family. 'What are you going to tell? What are you going to do now?' Many people telephoned and asked 'Why is he doing so? Till now nobody has done anything like that. Has he gone mad?'

But I felt I should speak the truth, and I spoke the truth despite all opposition.

When you were deposing before the court, were you being stalked? Were there any attacks on you, or your family members?

No. Nothing of that sort happened. But yes, there were people who used to threaten me earlier.

After the bribery case became public, your political life changed forever. You lost the Lok Sabha polls.

Yes. I lost in 1996. In 1998, my wife was given a ticket by the BJP from Jamshedpur and she won. I don't know where my political career would go. But I feel one thing strongly. People say you should speak the truth, but when you do so there is no one to support the truth. Today I am experiencing all that. I spoke the truth, but now when I turn back, I find no one behind me. I am lonely. Only God is there, I am unable to see anyone with me.

The formation of Jharkhand might resurrect your political career?

I wish that the state is run well, the sorrows and pains of the people of Jharkhand are solved. The people should get political power in their hands. Earlier, Bihar had treated Jharkhand like an annexed kingdom. At least that won't happen now. It would be our attempt, and everybody's attempt. Whether I become an MLA or not, I can work for my people.

Will you go back to the JMM?

No. There is no such thought. What will I do after going back to the JMM? I think I should start some spiritual work. I will spread the words of Satya Sai Baba. Now there is an attempt by everybody, Hindus, Christians, Muslims to split the land. That is not what Sai Baba taught us. I want to do something to spread his word. I want to tell everyone that there is only one God.

I have composed four lines to convey this message:
'Ishwar ne insaan banaaya,
Insaan ne insaan ko baata
Dharam bada nekh hai
Sab ka maalik ek hai.'

I have also an established an organisation, the Vishwa Sai Mission. Through it I want to convey to the world, to society that sab ka maalik ek hai .

Have you ever met Shibu Soren and other JMM MPs after you deposed against them? Do you still talk to them?

Yes. I meet them face to face in Parliament. What is there to talk with them? We say 'namaskar' etc to each other.

Were there any repercussions in your village?

No. What could be there? They say you will get results for what you do.

Do you enjoy a lot of support in Jamshedpur (Jharkhand)?

Yes. Otherwise how will I win?

Why was Sasinath Jha, Shibu Soren's secretary, killed?

I don't know anything about that. Even when the CBI chaps came here, I told them I don't know what happened, what did not happen.

Did his mother ever come to you for some help?

No. Nobody came to me. Neither his father, nor his mother.

What was the precise reason for just the four of you to be trapped?

Wasn't our money in the bank? Humlog to maha murkh the, jo bank mein paisa rakh diye na ? That was the proof. Jo chaalakh the, un logon ne nahin rakha . Who kept where, what was kept, is not known. But not in a bank.

So are you feeling relaxed now?

Yes, definitely you feel better after telling the truth. When you tell a lie you will have to tell 100 more lies to cover it. But there is only one truth. I feel better now.

How widespread is political corruption?

Rao is not the end of it. There has been corruption before him, and there will be corruption after him. In politics, corruption sticks on. It just sticks. Corruption is a supplementary of politics. Politics is a kalikotri. And corruption will remain in politics forever. It is not just Narasihma Rao who was involved. There has been corruption in the past, and will be there in the coming days also.

The way in which governments are formed in UP, how does politics work? In UP almost everyday MLAs swing from one side to the other. It has happened in Bihar and Haryana. When it is not a single party in power but a coalition, everybody knows these things will happen. It is a different matter that nobody speaks about it. Politics is like that.

When the Chandra Shekhar government was being formed did you get similar offers?

Yes. People had come to us. But we did not support him.

What were you offered?

I will say that some other time.

But you have a moral responsibility to tell the truth.

But I don't want to talk about it now. People had come to us with money. There were three of us in the JMM -- me, Soren and Marandi. But we did not give in. We were with VP Singh, and we decided to stick with him. They came with money, asking us to support Chandra Shekhar, but we refused. I did not count it, so I don't know how much it was. When we were not going to support him what is there to talk about money! If we were to support Chandra Shekhar, maybe we would have taken money then too.

In the future, if you are offered money, will you accept it?

No. I won't allow that to Happen against. When I have done so much against it, why will I allow it to happen?

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