Why Did Tripura BJP Organize a Candlelight Rally Against the Vandalism of Tagore's Ancestral Home in Bangladesh?

Agartala, June 15 (NationPress) The ruling BJP in Tripura conducted a candlelight rally on Sunday to voice their outrage over the recent attack and vandalism of the ancestral residence of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Bangladesh.

Leading the rally, Tripura BJP President Rajib Bhattacharjee emphasized that Tagore is revered globally for his exceptional literary contributions across various genres. He condemned the destruction of Tagore's residence in Bangladesh, labeling it as a serious affront to literature, culture, and human values.

“Tagore is the creator of the national anthems of both India and Bangladesh,” the BJP leader stated, demanding severe punishment for the perpetrators of this shocking act. The BJP also organized protests at over six locations across seven districts near Tripura’s border with Bangladesh on Saturday.

Senior party officials, including ministers, spearheaded protests in various locations including Agartala, Bishalgarh, Udaipur, Belonia, Kailashahar, Dharmanagar, and Khowai. BJP sources indicated that similar demonstrations would occur on June 16 in all Assembly constituencies throughout Tripura. State BJP General Secretary and MLA Bhagaban Das, who led a protest at the Agartala-Akhaura Integrated Check Post, remarked, “This barbaric act against Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh has deeply shocked the people of India.”

Das, a former minister, asserted that such attacks on our shared cultural heritage are entirely unacceptable. “There must be limits to these atrocious acts. The properties and heritage associated with an iconic figure like Tagore should not be targeted in Bangladesh. Such actions are unforgivable crimes,” he told the media.

Earlier, Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha also denounced the attack on Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh as an “attack on our culture and heritage.” He described the incident as shameful for the entire nation and insisted that the interim government of Bangladesh must take decisive action.

On June 8, a mob assaulted and vandalized Tagore's ancestral home in Bangladesh, known as Rabindra Kachharibari or the Rabindra Memorial Museum, located in Sirajganj district.

Reports indicate that the attackers also physically assaulted a director of the institution. Situated in Shahzadpur in the Rajshahi division, Rabindra Kachharibari is both the ancestral home and revenue office of the Tagore family, where many of Tagore's literary masterpieces were created.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs also condemned the vandalism on June 12, citing it as part of a systematic effort by extremists to undermine the country’s rich cultural heritage. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal described the June 8 attack on Rabindra Kachharibari as a “despicable” act and a “disgrace to the memory and inclusive philosophy” of the Nobel Laureate.