Amid the political potshots in West Bengal following the State moving into the poll-mode, another point of consternation has erupted over Vishva Bharati University Centenary Celebrations. The University is owned, funded and managed by the Central Government. However, the present West Bengal Government is of the firm resolve that it alone is the true moral heir and legacy of the Rabindra Nath Tagore, the Nobel Laureate and therefore entitled to celebrate.
The State Government, headed by the poetess, painter, literato and chief minister Mamata Banerjee, formed a centenary celebration committee. The Central Government also did the same, the PM, in the University’s inaugural function, addressing a virtual meeting praising the universality of Tagore and gushing over the bard’s Gujarat connection. The State, which prefers to remember Gujarat only for the riots of 2002 was not amused. The CM allegedly cancelled the State Committee’s celebrations and claimed that she was not even invited for the PM’s meet on VB, Delhi promptly issuing a denial.
Amid this, another crisis has erupted, over many unauthorizedly occupying the VB land. Forcible public property occupation is neither new nor uncommon anywhere in India, and West Bengal is no stranger to the malady either. However, the allegation by the VB was against a dear, and another ‘Nobel’ son of India, Shri Amartya Sen. Sen’s family, close to Tagore’s was given some land on which stands a building of Sen. The land occupied is allegedly and marginally more than what is allotted, Amartya Sen had though personally had nothing to do with it. It is preposterous to think of Sen indulging in any act alleged by anyone.
For Bengal, it is another opportunity to take on Modi and his battalion, amid bothersome defections and discomforting poll predictions. Therefore, the CM has characteristically erupted in an uninflected pain and imaginary anguish that outsiders have overrun Bengal pride and culture. Amartya’ da’ is indeed a pride of Bengal. Any talk of irregularities must be gracefully resolved, without sullying Sen. The literati of the region will be protesting against the purported discourtesy shown to Sen, tomorrow at Banga Bhawan.
The question of an insult to Sen is fancied merely to raise a hurt to Bengal’s pride by ‘outsiders.’ Any deviation in the land size could be set right by a simple administrative correction, rather than making a mountain out of a molehill.
I bet, none will dare to humiliate, nor criticize Sen, an Octogenarian and a simple soul, despite his often embarrassing politically laced observations on the Indian economy. Not only he, but most overseas Nobel laureates also give post facto comments of little or no significance to the State’s growth or economy.
While both the main opposition are at their liberty to take on each other, exposing the acts of omission and commission must exercise care in dragging a respectable figure as Sen for cheap political brownie points.
Rabindra Nath Tagore is a universal figure and aptly named his temple of learning as Vishva Bharati, meaning India’s Universality. No one should be anything to belittle the spirit, particularly on the year of its centenary.
Sampath Kumar
Intrépide Voix
