On the 200th birth anniversary of late Bengali educationist and social reformer Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday recalled the incident when his bust was desecrated during a political rally by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in 2019.
“His bust was unfortunately desecrated in 2019 by certain outsiders, which only shows their disregard for Bengal’s legacy,” the CM tweeted.
Banerjee said that Vidyasagar truly represented the pride of Bengal and serves as an inspiration for the people of Bengal till now. “His teachings are deeply inculcated in our values… He was a pioneer for Bangla language and drafted primer Barnaparichay. Also known as ‘Dayar Sagar’, he fought for widow remarriage, banning child marriage & polygamy,” she said.
Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar’s bust was desecrated in a college during BJP president Amit Shah’s mega rally in Kolkata on May 15 last year. The state’s ruling Trinamool Congress and BJP activists indulged in a pitched battle in Bidhan Sarani vandalising the bust and the property of the century-old Vidyasagar hostel on College Street.
Videos released by the Trinamool Congress after the incident had shown a group of men purportedly trying to break down the gate of the Vidyasagar College and enter the campus by jumping over its walls.
Meanwhile, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar also paid tribute to the legendary philanthropist on his 200th birth anniversary.
“He was one of the greatest reformers of all times. His contributions to the upliftment and betterment of the society is immense,” Dhankhar said.
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