UNESCO plaques without Tagore triggers controversy at Visva Bharati University

Controversy erupts over plaques at Visva Bharati Univ. not mentioning Tagore; Trinamool & BJP leaders criticize; Calcutta HC calls for V-C's removal; legal tussle with Nobel laureate Amartya Sen over land.

A fresh controversy has erupted over putting up certain plaques at Visva Bharati University to mark the UNESCO’s heritage status to the Central university. The plaque, which has come up at several places in the University, has the name of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakrabarty, but does not have any mention of Rabindranath Tagore, who founded Visva Bharati university.

The development has triggered criticism not only from a section of faculty members but also from leaders of the Trinamool Congress leadership. The plaques on white marble which says UNESCO Inscribed “World Heritage Site” and has the name of Mr. Modi as ‘Acharya ( Chancellor)’ and Mr. Chakrabarty as ‘Upacharya (Vice-Chancellor)’.

“UNESCO specifically said they are honouring Rabindranath Tagore and his unique legacy by declaring Santiniketan as a World Heritage Site. A megalomaniac V-C and his boss seem to think UNESCO is honouring them!!,” Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Jawhar Sircar said.

According to the Visva Bharati spokesperson, three such plaques have been installed in the University premises. On September 17, Santiniketan, a town set up by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore was inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage Site.

UNESCO also credits “renowned poet and philosopher Rabindranath Tagore” for establishment of Santiniketan which is distinct from the “prevailing British colonial architectural orientations of the early 20th century and of European modernism”, and represents approaches toward a pan-Asian modernity.

West Bengal BJP spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said that the relation between Tagore and Visva Bharati need not be announced and some people are raising irrelevant questions.