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India.com
17 hours ago
- Politics
- India.com
Mamata Banerjee Repeats Allegations Of Harassment Against Bengali Speakers
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday reiterated her allegations that Bengali-speaking people were being harassed in the BJP-ruled states. 'Those who are trying to discriminate against Bengalis do have any idea of the language that icons like Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, Kavi Nazrul Islam and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose spoke? Those who came as refugees to our country are now considered as citizens of our country. If there are illegal infiltrators, the Union government can take action against them, and I have nothing to say on that. But there should be unnecessary harassment of people just because they speak in Bengali' the Chief Minister said while addressing a function to celebrate the 'Kanyashree Day'. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that she had received news that one person was not allowed to rent a room at a hotel in Noida just because he was speaking in Bengali. "There is a necessity to learn the English language. But that does not mean that Bengali will be a forgotten language," the Chief Minister said. Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that currently over 93 lakh young women in West Bengal have benefited from the state government's Kanyashree scheme. Our target is to ensure the figure crosses 1 crore soon," the Chief Minister said. "I always think that a society where women are not well off can never be well off. Empowerment of women is necessary for the development of society. It is my pride that today there are more than 93 lakh 'Kanyashree women' in our state. Seventeen and a half thousand crore taka has been handed over to them under this project. We don't just talk about women's empowerment. We do it," she said. 'Kanyashree Prakalpa' is a targeted conditional cash transfer scheme aimed at checking child marriage and retaining girls in schools and other educational institutions.
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Rabindranath Tagore Has No Place In ‘New' Bangladesh
Last Updated: Rabindranath Tagore's association with East Bengal was a deeply intertwined one and it can hardly be eradicated The vandalisation of the historic Rabindra Kachharibari in Shahjadpur, Sirajganj, last week proves that Mohammed Yunus's interim regime and its functioning has entrapped Bangladesh like a curse. Since August 2024, there has been a concerted attempt to erase and decimate cultural and intellectual symbols that had sustained the struggle for identity and cultural assertion in East Bengal during the dark days of West Pakistan's occupation. The symbols of Bangladesh's Liberation War and of its creation were attacked, leaving Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib's Dhanmondi House gutted and bulldozed and the memorials to the Liberation War vandalised. Similarly, the attack on the Rabindra Kachharibari Museum in Sirajganj is a clear assault on those cultural symbols and icons that have inspired, sustained and defined Bangladesh's aspiration to remain distinct from the sapping tentacles of Pakistan and its proxies who wish to erase, beyond redemption, Bangladesh's cultural and linguistic identity and core. Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, till the other day, was the tallest cultural icon of Bangladesh. In a sense, he still continues to be an icon, for the beleaguered and imprisoned intelligentsia of that country. For generations his poems, songs, essays and thoughts have sustained the East Bengali intelligentsia. He stood as a perennial source of solace in the dark days of the struggle against a marauding West Pakistani dispensation which was determined to erase the Bengali identity and texture in East Pakistan. That unfinished agenda of Pakistan, stymied by the Liberation War and the formation of Bangladesh, has now been set rolling. Pakistan's proxies such as the Jamaat, Hefazat-e-Islam and other lesser-known radical outfits, propping up the Yunus regime, are in overdrive now to destroy Bangladesh's cultural symbols and icons. The Bangladesh that these forces envisage will be dark and monotonous. It will be shorn of colours, devoid of elevating thoughts and emotions, bereft of all music which has flowed out of the soil of Bengal, representing her soul and its deeper aspirations. They want a Bangladesh in which Tagore will be an outcast, fit to be dumped and relegated as haram. The students who organised and participated in the August protest and insisted that they represented a 'new" Bangladesh, have been complicit in this demolition of Bangladesh's cultural symbols. Realising that their path to survival is through the creation of a political identity and outfit, these youth leaders have joined hands with radicals in order to gain and maintain a political space. An assault on Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore's persona and legacy is thus the surest way to gain political space and legitimacy in Bangladesh today. The attack on the Rabindra Kachharibari has been passed off as a spontaneous reaction to a local dispute and yet the manner in which an organised and armed mob invaded the sacred premises, hardly lends credence to that alibi. It was as if the vandals were lying ready, awaiting an opportunity to attack the Museum. Prof Yunus's Bengali Nobel Laureate friends and admirers, led by Prof Amartya Sen and Prof Abhijit Banerjee, or famous Bengali writers like Amitava Ghosh, ought to educate him on the imperative of protecting Tagore's legacy in Bangladesh. Some of them as self-styled 'global citizens", have been conspicuously silent on the happenings in Bangladesh. Their silence on attacks such as these, their passivity when Hindus were being bullied and assaulted under the Yunus's regime's watch, is especially astounding and stunning. Rabindranath Tagore's association with East Bengal was a deeply intertwined one and it can hardly be eradicated. Despite seeing it as a task that stood completely opposite to his nature, Tagore deftly managed their landed properties, primarily in East Bengal, that fell to his lot to handle. Some of his most enduring poems, stories and essays were composed and written while he was in East Bengal. But Tagore was no dreamy poet and rent-extracting landowner. The 'zamindar" Rabindranath Tagore was a unique personality. He stood completely apart from the genre of his time. Leading Bengali litterateur, poet and essayist of the Tagore era Pramatha Chaudhuri (1868-1946), observes that as a zamindar Tagore was as unique as he was as a poet. The welfare of the cultivators, village reform and development, improvement of local infrastructure, public health, roads, education constantly preoccupied Tagore on his sojourn in East Bengal in places like Silaidaha, Patisar, Sirajganj, places in which he had estates and houses. It was in Patisar that he put his entire Nobel Prize money of then Rs. 1 lakh to start a cooperative bank for the benefit of peasants and cultivators. His travels, stay and work as a zamindar and poet in East Bengal, span a period of nearly five decades. The vandals of Sirajganj or their ideological patrons would hardly know of this past or care for it. In their 'new Bangladesh" both Tagore and his anthem are to be exiled. In a captivating Bengali tract 'Zamindar Rabindranath," veteran journalist Amitabha Choudhuri tells us that Tagore did not go to rural Bengal with a zamindari mindset, he went there and took up the responsibility as a worker for his country's welfare, as a 'swadesh-hitaishi." The ryots were surprised to see a 'Babumoshai" who did not fit the usual image of an extractor and entertainer. Tagore came as their guardian and carer. He worked to make these ryots and those dependent on him self-reliant. He strove to awaken their inner strength – atmashakti and to make them stakeholders in the mission of enriching Bengal's unique soil. Tagore developed most of his ideas of rural development and empowerment during these years. In Shilaidaha, for instance, Choudhuri writes, he set up, in memory of his father Maharshi Debendranath Tagore, the Maharshi free dispensary which treated the rural poor through homeopathy, Ayurvedic and allopathic medicines. Quinine would be distributed for free and Tagore would himself treat patients at times. In Patisar, Tagore established a large hospital. The first ever health cooperative in India to be started was the one set up by Tagore in his estate in East Bengal. Writing to Pramatha Chaudhuri in 1917, Tagore observed how the hospital was catering to a large population beyond his estate and benefiting them. 'This joy rises above all my wants," Tagore wrote to Pramatha Chaudhuri. Gurudev's letters during this period describing the work in his estate, indicate, writes Amitabha Choudhuri, that Tagore worked with the aim of establishing a 'dharma-rajya" among the peasants and never calculated his losses and gains. He was pledged to their welfare alone. In every village in his estate Tagore founded a free school and in Patisar came up a minor school which later became high school. Village roads were improved, drinking water arrangements were made and the villagers were imparted training in weaving. Tagore's varied initiatives saw a visible improvement in the condition of the people. In later years Gurudev would recall the deep satisfaction that this work gave him. He kept an open house for the cultivators and peasants. His doors were never closed for them. They in turn adored and admired him. 'For one who grew up cloistered in the corners of a room, to me the experience of a village was new. But this work has given me great satisfaction; it enthused me, I acquired the joys of carving out a new path…" Gurudev wrote years later. Reams can be written on his work among the people of East Bengal. top videos View all Who knows, perhaps the Rabindra Kachharibari vandals are descendants of those same families who must have once benefited from Gurudev's benign presence and work? Who knows, perhaps Mohammed Yunus's ancestors were cultivators and ryots in Tagore's estate. Who knows, perhaps they were the recipient of his elevating vision and of his sublime action. But that memory is being forcibly erased, the possibility of it being resisted. In the 'new Bangladesh" that the self-styled August 'revolutionaries" wish to create, Rabindranath Tagore has no place. He is being driven out. The author is chairman, Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation, and a member of the National Executive Committee, BJP. The views expressed are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18's views view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: June 20, 2025, 18:01 IST News opinion Opinion | Rabindranath Tagore Has No Place In 'New' Bangladesh Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
The Print
22-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Visva Bharati to hold candlelight march to protest vandalism of Tagore's house in B'desh
'To register an emphatic condemnation of the despicable mob attack and vandalism of the ancestral House of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district on June 8, Visva Bharati has decided to hold a candlelight march,' it said. The Nobel Laureate poet was the founder of Visva-Bharati, which is now a central university. The institute's spokesperson Atig Ghosh said in a statement that a large number of students, ashramites and others will assemble at Upasana Griha (prayer hall) and march to the main gate of the central administrative building on June 23. Kolkata, Jun 22 (PTI) Visva-Bharati university on Sunday said it will organise a candlelight march on June 23 to condemn the mob attack and vandalisation of Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral house in Bangladesh. A mob attacked and vandalised the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district, leading authorities to constitute a three-member committee to investigate the incident, according to media reports. On June 8, a visitor went to the Kachharibari, also known as Rabindra Kachharibari or Rabindra Memorial Museum, located in Sirajganj district, with his family. There, he got into an altercation with an employee at the entrance over the motorcycle parking fee and vandalism ensued by a mob, the reports said adding few people had been arrested in this connection. PTI SUS NN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
United News of India
20-06-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Telangana Guv participates in West Bengal state Foundation day celebrations held in Raj Bhavan
Hyderabad, June 20 (UNI): Telangana Governor of Jishnu Dev Varma participated in the West Bengal State Foundation Day celebrations held at Raj Bhavan, here on Friday . The event showcased the rich cultural heritage of West Bengal, with active participation from Bengali associations based in Hyderabad. The celebration featured traditional classical and folk dance performances by Bengali artists, bringing vibrancy and grandeur to the occasion. In his address on the occasion, the Governor paid homage to the illustrious legacy of West Bengal, lauding its immense contributions to the nation's cultural, intellectual, and spiritual landscape. He underscored the strong historical and cultural ties between Bengal and Telangana, and emphasised the importance of such celebrations in promoting national unity through the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. Reflecting on Bengal's enduring impact on India's journey, the Governor said that the state has produced towering figures in literature, philosophy, social reform, and the freedom movement. He recalled that the national song "Vande Mataram", which inspired millions during the freedom struggle, and the national anthem "Jana Gana Mana"—composed by Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore—both originated from Bengal. Quoting a famous remark, he said, 'What Bengal thinks today, the nation thinks tomorrow.' Acting Chief Justice of the High Court of Telangana, Justice Sujoy Paul, in his address, paid tribute to the legacy of Justice Ashutosh Mukherjee, an eminent jurist and former Vice Chancellor. He also noted that the first Indian judge of the High Court was a Bengali, underlining Bengal's historic contributions to India's judicial and academic spheres. Justice Ms Moushumi Bhattacharjee, Judge, High Court of Telangana; Sabyasachi Ghosh, Special Chief Secretary to Government; and M. Dana Kishore, Principal Secretary to the Governor, also spoke on the occasion. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from several Bengali dignitaries, Raj Bhavan officers and staff, and members of the Bengali community residing in Hyderabad, making it a memorable and inclusive celebration. UNI KNR SSP
The Print
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Vandalisation of Tagore's ancestral home: Kharge demands special Parliament session to discuss foreign policy issues
'Vandalism of the ancestral house of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, the author of 'Amar Sonar Bangla' – the national anthem of Bangladesh, in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. The Congress Party strongly condemns this,' he said in a post on X. 'There are two incidents on the international stage which are extremely worrying for us. US Centcom Commander calling Pakistan a 'phenomenal counter-terrorism partner' and then inviting the Pakistani Army Chief to the 250th anniversary of the US Army. New Delhi, Jun 12 (PTI) Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday condemned the vandalism at the ancestral house of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh and demanded a special session of Parliament in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss the issue along with that of US invitation to Pakistan Army Chief to attend the 250th anniversary of US Army. Kharge said there are many other important and crucial issues of foreign policy. 'We have been demanding an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament since day one. 'The Modi government should take suggestions from the opposition, discuss them and decide the national strategy in the presence of the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister,' he said. The Congress president said this has happened many times before and this would be necessary in the national interest. The Congress has expressed concern over the invite to Pakistan Army chief by the United States and claimed that India suffered a 'huge diplomatic setback' from the US which is constantly hyphenating India and Pakistan and that the Modi government's foreign policy has 'failed' as it is driven by domestic political considerations. Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said the US's recent statements were both a 'challenge and a warning' and required serious thinking 'when the PM is only interested in playing divisive politics'. He also said Modi should leave aside his 'stubbornness' to call an all-party meeting and a special session of Parliament. 'Yesterday, Indian foreign policy and diplomacy received three huge, undeniable setbacks. The General of the US Central Command gives a statement that Pakistan is a phenomenal partner in counter-terrorism. What is phenomenal? On May 2, 2011, Osama Bin Laden was found in Abbottabad and you are calling that country a phenomenal partner,' Ramesh told PTI. So, the first 'setback' is the US general giving a 'clean chit' to Pakistan, he said. US Army General Michael Kurilla, Commander of US Central Command (CENTCOM), has said Pakistan is 'in an active counterterrorism fight right now and has been a phenomenal partner in the counterterrorism world'. PTI SKC ZMN This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.
