Kolkata: Vidyasagar kin condemns bust desecration

KOLKATA: A descendent of Iswar Chandra Vidyasagar , Dr Niladri Banerjee, who teaches physics in UK, has condemned the act of vandalism , but went beyond the political blame-game to point towards a societal failure to embrace the reformist’s ideals.


“When a visionary like Vidyasagar is born, as a society, we have a responsibility towards ensuring that his ideas and actions are widely appreciated, implemented and understood.

I am not sure how successfully we have achieved that,” said Banerjee, a 4th generation descendant of Vidyasagar and a senior lecturer at Loughborough University, UK.

Calling the act of vandalizing the statue “utterly disgraceful”, Banerjee, who left Kolkata after graduating from Shibpur BE College almost a decade ago, said such acts, irrespective of who carried it out, expose the ignorance, stupidity and cheap ways to create political controversy. “As an Indian and a Bengali, I strongly criticize and condemn such actions and am deeply saddened like countless others,” he said.

Vidyasagar College came under attack during a roadshow by BJP president Amit Shah. Students from the college had allegedly waved black flags at Shah and his supporters. BJP activists claimed they also hurled abuses and brickbats at the rallyists, following which they had retaliated.

The vandalism at the college and the desecration of Vidyasagar’s statue became a rallying point for Trinamool in the last lap of electioneering ahead of the polls on Sunday. But Banerjee steered clear of the political mudslinging and said he disapproves the very political culture of abusing one another.

“With the polls on, we are in a critical time. Emotions are running high. But vandalism or abuse should never be used to make political statements or bully others,” he said.

On the barbs that the two principal opponents in the state have been throwing at each other, as well the violence during the polling process, Banerjee said that while he would call this uncivilised, he felt a more meaningful exercise would have been to hold a constructive debate on agendas.

“There would be differences which could and should be resolved with discussions, keeping emotions leading to violence in check,” he added.