KOLKATA: A heated controversy and political strife have erupted at Visva Bharati University due to the omission of Indiaโs first Nobel laureate, Rabindranath Tagoreโs name from temporary plaques erected on the campus.
The cause of the turmoil is a temporary marble plaque at Visva Bharati, displaying the UNESCO emblem at the top, labelled as a โWorld Heritage siteโ. The plaque prominently features the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi as โAcharyaโ and the name of the universityโs Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Bidyut Chakraborty, as โUpacharya.โ
In response to mounting criticism, university authorities have clarified to the media that the marble plaques are purely temporary and will be replaced in accordance with guidelines set by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and texts received from UNESCO.
However, the controversy intensified as Vice-Chancellor Chakraborty penned a scathing letter to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, where he accused her of having โloyalists as others who may not always be your sycophants.โ In the letter, he implored the chief minister to be โmagnanimousโ and addressed a range of issues.
ALSO READ: Moitra-Dubey defamation case to resume on December 5
A portion of the letter read, โMadam, please be magnanimous because you are as much a Chief Minister of your loyalists as others who may not always be your sycophantsโฆA megalomaniac Rajya Sabha member of your political party tried to gain this recognitionโฆwithoutโฆsuccess.โ
It highlights the incarceration of two senior ministers from her government, along with several trusted aides, including some in Tihar jail in Delhi. It also mentions the charges against a vocal member of parliament.
Chakraborty concluded the four-page letter stating: โFinally, our earnest request is to allow us an audience with you to enable us to acquaint you with the reality to defend our claim that you are being deliberately misled by those with partisan motives by saying what you would like to hear. Please avoid assessing Visva-Bharati on the basis what your close associates (and sycophants) selectively inform you. A face-to-face dialogue with us give you an opportunity to see the other side of the narrativeโฆโ
Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee took to social media platform X to express her concerns. โGurudev Rabindranath Tagore created a world heritage site (now recognised by UNESCO) at Santiniketan โ Visva Bharati, but the current institutional authorities there have arranged site memorial plaques on this occasion which display even the Vice Chancellorโs name but not the name of Gurudev!! This insults Tagore and belittles the anti-colonial heritage-creating efforts of our Nationโs founding fathers,โ she wrote. She further urged the Centre to remove the โnarcissistic display of arrogant self-exhibitionismโ and to honour Tagore as the nation owes to him.
View Her Tweet Here:
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore created a world heritage site (now recognized by UNESCO) at Santiniketan โ Visva Bharati, but the current institutional authorities there have arranged site memorial plaques on this occasion which display even the Vice Chancellorโs name but not theโฆ
โ Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) October 28, 2023
Interestingly, UNESCOโs official website features a passage on Visva Bharati that prominently mentions Rabindranath Tagore in its first paragraph, describing the institutionโs origins and its vision.
โEstablished in rural West Bengal in 1901 by the renowned poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore, Santiniketan was a residential school and centre for art based on ancient Indian traditions and a vision of the unity of humanity transcending religious and cultural boundariesโ it reads.
In a fresh development, the Vice-Chancellor has filed a complaint at Shantiniketan Police Station, citing โreceiving life threats.โ
