archive: Marxist misbehavioiu - a letter
Marxist misbehavioiu - a letter
Ranjana Chakrabarti
The Telegraph
June 17, 1999.
Title: Marxist misbehavioiu - a letter
Author: Ranjana Chakrabarti
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: June 17, 1999.
Sir - Buddhadev Bhattacharya recently refused to share the same
platform with Atal Behari Vajpayee at a function at Rabindra Sadan
where the prime minister released a book and other materials on
Rabindranath Tagore ("Buddha keeps away from Atal" May 21). His
behaviour raises several issues. One, as acting chief minister, his
breach of protocol was in astonishingly poor taste. Bhattacharya may
be a Marxist who is opposed to the Hindutva ideology that Vajpayee
represents. But this confrontation should take place in the electoral
arena, not during the exercise of office.
Two, Bhattacharya says Vajpayee is not a genuine Tagore acolyte
because he is a Hindu fanatic. Yet it is this fanatic who displayed a
greater commitment to Tagore's liberal ideals by visiting the
birthplace of Nazrul Islam's birthplace at Churulia.
Three, Tagore upheld a liberal Hindutva, as is evident in the poem,
"Shivaji". Indians need not shrink from their own religious identity
simply because pseudosecularists tell them to. The broadbased humanism
of Hindutva has more takers in this country than the champions of an
imported and moribund ideology would like to admit.
Yours faithfully,
Ranjana Chakrabarti
Chandernagore
Back
Top
|
