BJP urges global outrage over Rabindranath Tagore home vandalism in Bangladesh

BJP MP Sambit Patra on Thursday urged the international community to condemn the reported vandalism of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s ancestral residence in Bangladesh and questioned West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's silence over the vandalism.

Tagore wrote the national anthem of Bangladesh, titled “Amar Shonar Bangla” (My Golden Bengal) in 1905.

Addressing media persons at the BJP headquarters in the national capital, Patra said, “Rabindranath Tagore's ancestral house, located in Bangladesh, was attacked and damaged... His Kacharibari, built by his grandfather, has been attacked. We are getting to know that the people of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hefazat-e-Islam carried out this attack. It is also coming to light that this was a pre-planned attack. For five days, it was planned that the house of Rabindranath Tagore, the foundation and pillar of our civilisation and culture of Bengal, would be attacked so that they could send a big message to the world. It was a planned attack.”

“Rabindranath Tagore is no ordinary personality. When his house was attacked, his way of thinking was attacked; we appeal to the world community to come together against this. This is the appeal of the BJP, a party that believes in inclusiveness. We are making a global call to all countries that value morality, creativity, and culture. Everyone should come together to condemn what has happened today in Bangladesh,” he added.

Patra further condemned the interim government led by Muhammad Yunus, saying that the international monument could not be protected.

A mob vandalised the ancestral home of Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh's Sirajganj district, prompting authorities to form a three-member committee to investigate the incident, according to media reports on Wednesday.

The violence reportedly stemmed from a dispute on June 8, when a visitor accompanied by his family arrived at the Kachharibari—also known as Rabindra Kachharibari or the Rabindra Memorial Museum—and got into an argument with a staff member at the entrance over a motorcycle parking fee, bdnews24.com reported.

Situated in Shahzadpur in the Rajshahi division, Kachharibari is the ancestral home and revenue office of the Tagore family. Rabindranath Tagore created many of his literary works while living in this mansion, PTI reported.

(With inputs from agencies)