In West Bengal, a clash of poets over the skipping of a State-sponsored poetry festival
In a State celebrated for its rich literary heritage, poetry in West Bengal has become a site of contention, with poets voicing concern over the non-holding of the State-run Kabita Utsav this year. The annual festival, organised by the West Bengal Poetry Academy since 2016, has not been held in its usual window between January and March, prompting sharp criticism and allegations of mismanagement.
A section of Bengali poets and literary figures has written an open letter to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, alleging that corruption and nepotism had derailed the festival's organisation. The letter, signed by several prominent names, stated, 'The West Bengal Poetry Academy — ours being the only State to have such a body — was established through your initiative. However, dissatisfaction has been growing for a long time among poets and reciters regarding the activities of the academy. [A report was recently published] stating that the poetry festival, organised by the academy, has been cancelled this year due to allegations of financial irregularities and other forms of corruption.'
Also read: The college principal who serves as a bridge between Bengal's Dalit literature and the world
The letter further noted that 'one member of its governing body said the last meeting of the academy was held as long back as in June or July 2024, which is not healthy for an active organisation. The West Bengal Poetry Academy is an important institution. We request a fair and independent investigation into the allegations made against the academy, and that appropriate action be taken against those found guilty.'
Subodh Sarkar, noted poet and chairperson of the West Bengal Poetry Academy, rejected the charges as baseless and politically motivated. 'The year is not yet over and the festival can happen anytime. There has been no circular that the Kabita Utsav will not be held this year. The Little Magazine Mela was also delayed. The Poetry Academy, the first of its kind in the country, is a great creation by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. A group of poets who carry a particular political agenda against the ruling party — they have this ridiculous idea that corruption is behind the festival not being held. Such wild imagination is politically motivated,' Mr. Sarkar said.
He further asserted, 'My committee members and I never look after financial matters. And the selection of participating poets, elocutionists and scholars is done unanimously and there is no possibility of any inclusion from outside the list. Academy's each and every decision is unanimous.'
Angshuman Kar, poet and former Secretary of the Sahitya Akademi (Eastern Region), took a different view. 'What is shocking and disappointing for us is that this festival did not take place in the last financial year, that is before the end of March 2025,' Mr. Kar said. For him, the absence of the event within the financial year pointed to its effective discontinuation.
Among the signatories to the letter is renowned scholar and writer Pabitra Sarkar, who observed that it was 'quite natural' for poets and elocutionists to be upset. 'As an interested onlooker I have noticed that many Bengali poets look forward to this yearly event as it offers them a 'State-sponsored' platform with a somewhat elite audience. Some remuneration was also there (₹2,000), which they do not get elsewhere. In a way, this was the most important annual exposure in the State for the Bengali poet.'
Poet Sudip Chakraborty, recipient of the Krittibas and Sahitya Akademi Yuva awards, echoed these sentiments. 'An official invitation from the government means a form of recognition. In that sense, the discontinuation of this festival is indeed very unfortunate. The fact that a festival of poetry in Bengali, a language in which Rabindranath Tagore and Jibanananda Das wrote, has come to an end is deeply regrettable. There should be an enquiry into why it has been discontinued,' he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hans India
an hour ago
- Hans India
Mayawati hopes BSP will bounce back on revival of paper ballots
Lucknow: Seeking the re-introduction of paper ballot, Bahujan Samaj Party National President Mayawati on Thursday blamed the alleged manipulation of electronic voting machines (EVMs) for her party's recent diminishing electoral success. 'Most of the opposition parties, including our party, want that all the small and big elections in the country should be conducted through ballot papers like before. But this is not possible under the current government,' said Mayawati, in her address to media persons. Looking to revitalise her party cadre in the backdrop of recent electoral reverses, Mayawati said, 'A change of regime is on the cards in the country and this will surely bring back ballot papers. Therefore, BSP workers need not feel disheartened and should remain focused on strengthening the organisation.' She said anti-Dalit forces have joined hands with other parties to weaken the BSP and manipulate EVMs to prevent party candidates from winning elections. 'Considering the prevailing political mood in the country, the EVM-related voting system can change at any moment, and all elections will be conducted using paper ballots. The return of paper ballots would also bring back good times for the BSP,' said Mayawati. The Dalit leader also trained her guns on forces which, she claimed, were trying to mislead BSP workers and supporters and weaken forces devoted to the welfare of the marginalised sections. In a subtle reference to the exit of former BSP MP from Bijnor, Malook Nagar, in April, Mayawati said the Dalits would never benefit even if opportunist leaders – who work at the behest of parties like the Congress, BJP and Samajwadi Party – become MPs, MLAs or ministers. Without naming the emerging Dalit leader from Uttar Pradesh, Changrashekhar Azad of the Azad Samaj Party (Kanshi Ram), Mayawati also alerted voters against opportunistic organisations and leaders who 'misuse' the names of Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Kanshi Ram as part of a conspiracy to split Dalit votes, ultimately benefiting other parties.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Elections via ballot papers will bring back BSP's 'good days': Mayawati
Bahujan Samaj Party ( BSP ) chief Mayawati on Thursday said her party's " good days " would return if elections are held through ballot papers instead of electronic voting machines ( EVMs ). Addressing a press conference here, she reiterated her demand for conducting all elections through ballot papers, alleging that EVMs were being tampered to prevent BSP candidates from winning. "Parties with casteist ideologies, both in power and in opposition, have been managing certain opportunistic and self-serving individuals from Dalit and other marginalised communities behind the scenes. These elements are being used to form various organisations and parties that are misleading our support base and dividing votes in BSP's strongholds, especially in Uttar Pradesh ," she said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo The former Uttar Pradesh chief minister further alleged that rival political parties were adopting various tactics to ensure that BSP's presence in national politics remains minimal. "These parties are not only creating and sustaining opportunistic outfits but are also transferring their votes to them in elections to help a few of their candidates win, thereby weakening the BSP's prospects," she claimed. Live Events "Furthermore, EVM manipulation is being used to defeat BSP candidates, in an attempt to break the trust of Dalit and marginalised voters in the BSP," Mayawati said. She said that concerns regarding EVMs are now being raised by several opposition parties, adding, "Most opposition parties, including the BSP, now want that all elections, whether big or small, should be conducted through ballot papers like in the past." "Though this might not be possible under the current government, we hope it can happen after a change in power," she said. Mayawati expressed confidence that if the electoral process shifts back to ballot papers, the BSP would regain its lost political ground and its good days will be back. She also cautioned her party workers against "self-serving and opportunistic" organisations and parties that, she claimed, have no real connection with B.R. Ambedkar, BSP founder Kanshi Ram, or the broader Bahujan movement. "Even if leaders from these groups become MPs, MLAs, or ministers for their personal gains, it will not bring any real benefit to Dalits and marginalised sections," she said. The BSP supremo also criticised the lack of equitable participation of Bahujans in the country's GDP growth and described the ongoing poverty and unemployment as a matter of concern. She alleged that the country's borders have not been fully secure for years, resulting in frequent terror incidents. On the Pahalgam terror attack, she said it was "deeply saddening and worrying" and criticised the politicisation of such incidents. "It is unfortunate that such sensitive matters are being used for political gain. This should not happen," she said.
Hans India
8 hours ago
- Hans India
Rift in the margins? Dalit groups condemn Muslim leaders' remarks
Mangaluru: A press conference by Dalit leaders in coastal Karnataka has brought to light growing discontent within Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe organisations against certain Muslim groups, in the wake of controversial remarks made againstHome Minister Dr. G. Parameshwara, a prominent Dalit leader. The Karnataka Dalit Horata Samiti, a district-level Dalit rights organisation, on Wednesday condemned a viral audio clip circulating across WhatsApp groups, in which unidentified Muslim individuals were allegedly heard criticising and insulting Dr. Parameshwara and his daughter following the recent communal violence in Mangaluru. The incident, sparked by the killing of Abdul Rahim, a resident of Koltmajalu in Bantwal, had reignited simmering tensions in the communally sensitive region. 'The remarks against a senior Dalit leader and his family have hurt the sentiments of the entire Dalit community,' said Anil Kumar Kankanady, a district leader of the Horata Samiti. 'Dr. Parameshwara is not just a political figure, but a symbol of perseverance for all Dalits who have risen through systemic adversity. Targeting him with such language is not just personal defamation—it is an insult to the community.' The organisation, which includes several prominent SC/ST activists, demanded the registration of a case under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against those involved in the derogatory comments. The leaders also pressed for immediate arrests and action against those disseminating the voice recordings. Among those present at the press conference were district coordinator S.P. Anand, Vishukumar, Siddappa Basavanagar, Dasharath Daddalkad, Prasad Kankanady, and RJ Karkera. A new political line? While such condemnations might seem like a routine defence of community pride, analysts suggest this incident signals a potentially deeper shift in Karnataka's subaltern politics. Historically seen as allies in struggles against upper-caste hegemony and right-wing politics, Dalit and Muslim groups in Karnataka have shared political space—both in street mobilisations and electoral strategies, particularly within Congress and smaller social justice-oriented outfits. However, recent developments, including competitive victimhood, perceived political neglect, and targeted communal violence in coastal areas, have strained this tenuous solidarity. That a Dalit-led press meet would call out Muslim voices so directly—and link it to broader community insult—suggests that identity-based assertiveness is reshaping grassroots narratives. 'This is a moment of divergence,' notes a Mangaluru-based political sociologist. 'Dalit organisations, long accustomed to being marginal players in coastal Karnataka's communal binary, are now asserting a third front—demanding respect not just from dominant castes or state institutions, but also from other marginalised communities.' Coastal Karnataka's fragile balance Coastal Karnataka has witnessed a complex mix of caste, religion, and regional assertion. While much of the national discourse has framed the region as a Hindu-Muslim flashpoint, caste-based politics—especially among backwards castes and Dalits—has been gaining traction over the last decade. In this context, attacks—verbal or otherwise—on a figure like Dr. Parameshwara, who has held key portfolios including that of Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister, are seen not just as personal affronts but as an attack on Dalit political legitimacy. With state elections on the horizon and national parties recalibrating their caste equations, the growing alienation expressed by Dalit leaders in Mangaluru may well ripple beyond the district. Whether this episode marks a passing rupture or the beginning of a deeper shift in caste-community alignments will depend on how political parties, civil society, and state mechanisms respond to the grievance, and whether platforms of solidarity can be rebuilt before mistrust calcifies, say political observers on the coast.
