TMC Criticises ‘Vande Mataram’ Circular, Says It Demeans Tagore Instead of Honouring Him
TMC Says ‘Vande Mataram’ Circular Aims to Belittle Tagore, Not Honour Him
Kolkata, Feb 13: Bengal Education Minister Bratya Basu on Thursday criticised the Centre’s recent ‘Vande Mataram’ circular, claiming it was intended to demean Rabindranath Tagore rather than glorify its creator, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay.
Basu Accuses Centre of Undermining Tagore
Speaking to reporters, Basu said, “We were very clear on this issue. Chattopadhyay’s ‘Vande Mataram’ is revered in Bengal. But the Centre’s circular tried to belittle Tagore. It is a historical fact that RSS and other right-wing forces do not appreciate Tagore, whose writings and songs promoted unity, not divisiveness.”
He added, “Tagore is interwoven in the Bengali soul and is the country’s first Nobel laureate. BJP politics is about creating divisions—between languages, religions, and castes. Now, even Chattopadhyay is being set against Tagore.”
Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya Weighs In
State Finance Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya suggested the Centre’s reference to Chattopadhyay as “Bankim Da” reflected a superficial attempt at damage control rather than genuine respect for his work.
TMC Flags Distortion in Official Notification
Trinamool Congress has also alleged that the Ministry of Home Affairs distorted parts of the third stanza of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the official notification, deviating from the original lyrics penned by Chattopadhyay in Anandamath. TMC said this alteration further highlighted the circular’s intention to undermine Tagore’s legacy.
