Governor seeks report on installing new plaques with Rabindranath Tagores name

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who is also the Rector of the Visva-Bharati, on Friday sought a report from the university on installing new plaques with founder Rabindranath Tagore’s name on it, as directed by the Centre.

West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose, who also serves as the Rector of Visva-Bharati, has sought a report from the university on installing new plaques with founder Rabindranath Tagore's name on them, as directed by the Centre. The move comes after a controversy erupted over the installation of plaques announcing Santiniketan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which bore the names of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and former Vice-Chancellor Bidyut Chakraborty but not Tagore.

Plaques Controversy

The plaques installed last month sparked outrage as they failed to mention Rabindranath Tagore, leading to demands for their removal from various quarters. The controversy escalated further after Chakraborty retired as the Vice-Chancellor on November 8, prompting the Ministry of Education to direct the university to remove the plaques and replace them with ones bearing the Nobel laureate poet's name.

Governor's Directives

In response to the directive, Governor Bose, in his capacity as the Rector of Visva-Bharati, has called for a report from the university's officiating vice chancellor on the proposed action to pay befitting homage to Rabindranath Tagore on the new plaque. He has also decided to rename the North Gate of Raj Bhavan as 'Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore Gate.' The Governor's actions aim to honor and recognize Tagore's significant contributions to the university and the nation.

Santiniketan as UNESCO World Heritage Site

Santiniketan, where Tagore built Visva-Bharati over a century ago, was included on the UNESCO World Heritage list in September. Following this recognition, the controversial plaques were installed at several places on the sprawling Santiniketan campus, leading to a row between the state government and the varsity authorities.

Political Reactions

The omission of Tagore's name from the plaques drew sharp criticism from the state government and the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee demanded the immediate replacement of the plaques, and TMC organized demonstrations outside the varsity demanding their removal.

Central Government's Intervention

On November 16, the central government stepped in and asked Visva-Bharati to replace the plaques. The Ministry of Education sent a text in English and Hindi for the new plaques with Tagore's name. In response, the University has formed a six-member panel to prepare the text in Bengali.

The controversy surrounding the plaques installed at Visva-Bharati has brought attention to the importance of recognizing and honoring the contributions of Rabindranath Tagore, the founder of the university and a Nobel laureate. The Governor's directives to install new plaques with Tagore's name and rename the North Gate of Raj Bhavan are steps in the right direction to rectify the oversight and pay tribute to the legendary poet and educationist.