Meghdeep Bhattacharyya - Clash of cultures: Shocked Bengal witnesses vandalism of Vidyasagar bust

By Dilip -
One of the greatest names of the Bengal Renaissance has been pitchforked into the final lap of an election so far yoked to muscular nationalism, calumny and preposterous claims. Smashed to pieces by suspected BJP supporters, a bust of the polymath appears to have brought to the fore a culture clash that has marked the BJP’s foray into Bengal. The vandalism, which carries the whiff of a targeted attack as the bust was accessed by smashing a glass case, has offered chief minister Mamata Banerjee a chance to underscore how Bengal’s pride has been trampled upon.

Vidyasagar Statue Row: Kolkata tense as Videos emerge showing BJP cadres desecrating statue

Mamata sought to paint the opponent as a group incapable of respecting Bengal’s cultural stalwarts. “I don’t have words to condemn the incident. I’m myself ashamed and I apologise… that as people of Bengal, we cannot respect Ishwarchandra Vidyasagar because of these BJP goons. These leaders will be leaders of the nation? Those who cannot show respect for the icons?… Courage is good, not dussahas…,” the Trinamul leader said.

 Vandalised Vidyasagar Bust To 'Jai Shri Ram', Does BJP Even Know Bengal?
In their elaborate speeches across Bengal, while BJP leaders often hailed Swami Vivekananda and Shyama Prasad Mookerjee, Vidyasagar - a cultural reformer closer to Bengali sentiments than the other two - was rarely mentioned. Maybe one reason for this was that while the party was trying to foist an unfamiliar religious narrative on the state, Vidyasagar’s legacy was a reminder of the flaws of the very religion they were trying to piggyback on for votes. Mentioning Vidyasagar would barely be convenient in the project of manufacturing widespread feelings of Hindu victimhood, considering the story of his life - at least the way it exists in populist narratives - is a critique of Hinduism’s excesses.

Late on Tuesday night, Mamata uploaded Vidyasagar as the display picture on her social media accounts and that of the party. She also asked senior leaders of her party to do the same. The unforeseen intervention pits two images against each other: one that projects Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his lieutenants as “chowkidars” and the other standing up to protect the legacy of Vidyasagar who had played a pioneering role in reforming Hinduism. The clash of cultures has been brewing ever since Modi made the chanting of “Jai Shri Ram” a flashpoint in Bengal. Economical with the truth, the Prime Minister had created the impression that it was not being allowed to be chanted in Bengal.
A state where multiple faiths are practised and many deities are worshipped freely, “Jai Shri Ram” was rarely a dominant theme in Bengal’s religious ceremonies or festivals. There is nothing wrong with allowing new practices to flourish but the BJP has been trying to inject an aggressive political element into what is essentially a matter of personal belief, turning the chant into a dare against other narratives. The stage was set for a confrontation as Shah - upset as one of his rallies at Baruipur was cancelled on Monday because of alleged Trinamul Congress shenanigans - had dared Mamata to arrest him during his visit to Calcutta for Tuesday’s road show for chanting “Jai Shri Ram”.

But the script changed dramatically after the BJP chief’s cavalcade reached College Street and supporters clashed with those of Trinamul repeatedly - first in and around the university campus and then on the Vidyasagar College campus on Bidhan Sarani, where the bust of Vidyasagar was vandalised. “Shah had come with the objective of canvassing for the BJP…. She turned the tables on him by accusing his party of leading the carnage at a heritage academic institution and finally vandalising the bust,” said a Trinamul leader.

“That the saffron camp is anti-Bengali has been one of her key poll planks. This evening’s chain of events suddenly gave her a chance to substantiate her claims…. She will maximise gains from this, going into the final phase,” he added. When Mamata learnt of the clashes, mid-address at a Tollygunge Phari rally, she did not pull any punches. “Goonda, goonda, goonda, Narendra Modi is a goonda, Amit Shah is a goonda…. They brought miscreants on hire from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Rajasthan and Jharkhand, specifically to go on the rampage here and destroy heritage in Bengal…. I will not spare them. This is my vow,” said Mamata who looked livid.

“I have emerged from agitations. I can go to Delhi and take over your home, your party office, in a matter of minutes…. This is crossing every limit. After doing this, do they think Bengal will like them?” she asked... read more:
https://www.telegraphindia.com/india/clash-of-cultures-shocked-bengal-witnesses-vandalism-of-vidyasagar-bust/cid/1690570

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