Mamata Banerjee Urges PM Modi to Intervene After Vandalism of Tagore's Ancestral Home in Bangladesh

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday has shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing her anguish over the recent vandalism of the ancestral home of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in Sirajganj, Bangladesh, calling it unfortunate for India’s “national pride and cultural legacy”.

In her letter, Banerjee highlighted the deep emotional and cultural connection that Tagore’s legacy holds, particularly for the people of Bengal. She wrote, "I am writing to express my deepest anguish over the incident of vandalism of a historic ancestral house of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore in Sirajganj, Bangladesh. Tagore frequented the place repeatedly in his lifetime, and many of his finest works were conceived or written while he was there." She emphasised the profound impact of Tagore’s contributions, noting that "the poet’s creativity was intertwined with his association with the ancestral estate of theirs in an intimate manner."

The Chief Minister condemned the act as not just an attack on a physical structure, but on the shared heritage of the subcontinent. "The incident of vandalism is not only shocking, but also unfortunate for our national pride and cultural legacy. It is a vile attack on our sensibilities, our cherished treasures, and our common nostalgia for a past when Tagore could transcend all thresholds in pursuit of his immortal creations," Banerjee stated in her letter.

Tagore, a towering figure in Bengali literature, one who composed the National Anthem for both India and Bangladesh, is celebrated for his contributions to literature, music, and the cultural identity of the region. His ancestral home in Sirajganj holds immense historical significance, as it was a place of inspiration for many of his works, including those composed during the Swadeshi movement when he raised his voice against the Partition of Bengal.

Banerjee also underscored the broader implications of the attack, describing it as "an onslaught on the commonly held legacy of Tagore" for the people of Bengal. She urged PM Modi to take up the matter with the Bangladeshi government, writing, "I would urge you to kindly take up the matter very strongly with the neighbouring country’s government, so that no stone is left unturned to swiftly bring to justice the perpetrators of this heinous and mindless act." She further stressed the need for international action to prevent such acts in the future, adding that "although it would at least deter in-future any attack on monuments, a strong international protest would be the least damage any monuments of cultural legacies that have withstood steadfastly all tests of time."

The vandalism in Sirajganj comes amid a period of unrest in Bangladesh, where political tensions have escalated following protests over cultural preservation policies. Reports indicate that a group of unidentified individuals, allegedly motivated by local disputes, targeted Tagore’s ancestral home, damaging its structure and defacing historical artefacts. Social media is flooded with videos of yet to be identified goons thronging into the house of Tagore in Sirajganj and then resorting to vandalism. Bangladesh has seen massive unrest last year, eventually leading to ouster of Sheikh Hasina government. Since then Mohammad Yunus, another Nobel laureate is in charge of the interim government in the country. As of now, there has been no official response from the Prime Minister’s Office in India or the Bangladeshi government regarding the incident.​