The national greats!

Election throws many surprises. One such is a sudden bear hug of the triumvirate icons of Bengal, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, Freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and the spiritual leader Swami Vivekananda. Fortunately, the fourth or the fifth are far away and do not match the above’s charisma.

Swami Vivekananda has been vibrant, in the minds of Bengalis as he is in the minds of other communities. He is revered all over India, especially in the southern states, which had helped him travel to the Parliament of World religions at Chicago in 1893. Born a Bengali, Swamiji was the true reflection of the Hindu religion globally.

Mamata Banerjee’s Government has prioritised turning her State into India’s cultural capital. Therefore, it is not surprising that there are year-round programmes in one place or other, in one guise or other, celebrating these great men. Didi is ferociously possessive of these ‘Bengalis’ needlessly reminding all outsiders about the antecedents. I had written earlier, Rabindranath may have born in Bengal, but had a world buried in his thoughts, which gave birth to Shantiniketan, a universal confluence of minds.

Netaji harnessed an army to fight the British. He travelled far and wide to garner support for his Indian National Army. All his commanders, COS as well as many of his close colleagues and deputies were not Bengalis. Regional parochialism would have been a laughable matter until after independence when illiterate and criminal elements entered Indian politics.

Therefore, there is a clamour for not letting go of any opportunity, in the turbulent waters during the election period. The icons’ chase is glaring, from the din of the uncouth elements eulogising the icons’ virtues in prepared speeches. They physically fight, tear their hair and even shoot or stab each other opponents, all in the name of preaching espoused by the greats.  These leaders will consign all icons to relative silence soon after the elections are over and until the next election is announced.

Please stay away, converting the citadels of peace and religious harmony into ghettos of hatred and intolerance. Let the soft melodies of Rabindra Sangeet sway one and all without the blaring mikes introducing Tagore. Let the Youths celebrate Netaji with the vigour that is imbibed into each of them from their childhood. Let all revere Swamiji and his teachings, which holds god to this day.

It is indeed a matter of pride for every Bengali for being the community of greats, culturally or otherwise. But please stop monopolising or politicising the greats; instead create a true fourth one without dreaming of occupying the slot by yourselves.

Sampath Kumar

Intrépide Voix